Leh coldest place in J-K at minus 4.2 degree C

SRINAGAR: Leh, in Ladakh region, was the coldest place in Jammu and Kashmir with the mercury plummeting four degrees below the freezing point, even as the famous resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam witnessed fresh snowfall.

Meanwhile, authorities in north Kashmir's Kupwara district have issued an avalanche warning and have advised people not to venture out during night.

The district administration has also restricted the movement of vehicular traffic from Karnah to Kupwara, Keran to Kupwara, Machil to Kupwara and vice-versa to avoid any untoward incident in the wake of the apprehensions of an avalanche.

The restrictions will remain in place till weather improves, an official spokesman said.

The minimum temperature in Leh was minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, a dip of almost three degrees as compared to previous night's minus 1.5 degrees Celsius, a MeT Department official said.

He said the nearby Kargil town registered an increase of over two degrees in the minimum temperature from the previous night's minus 2.0 degrees Celsius; the mercury settled at 0.6 degree Celsius.

The ski-resort of Gulmarg received fresh snowfall of up to four inches and rainfall of 5.6 mm during the night, the official said, adding the minimum temperature there settled at minus 3.0 degrees Celsius.

Pahalgam received season's first snowfall and 7.4 mm of rainfall, he said.

The official said the mercury plummeted to a low of 0.2 degrees Celsius in the south Kashmir resort.

Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, also registered a slight drop in the night temperature at 4.3 degrees Celsius as compared to the previous 6.7 degrees Celsius, the official said.

He said other parts of the Valley also received rainfall during the night and the minimum temperature remained several degrees above the freezing point.

The MeT Department has forecast light to moderate rainfall in plains and snowfall in the higher reaches.