Mercury dips across Valley; Leh coldest at minus 16.4 degrees Celsius

SRINAGAR: The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir experienced the coldest night of this winter as the minimum temperature in the Valley and Ladakh region slipped further below the freezing point.

Gulmarg, the star attraction for tourists visiting the Valley during winter, recorded the minimum temperature of minus 10.6 degrees Celsius, down by nearly two degrees from minus 8.4 degrees the previous night, a spokesperson of the MeT department here said.

The southern Pahalgam hill resort, which serves as a base camp during annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a minimum of minus 6.6 degrees Celsius, down by over two degrees from the yesterday's minimum at minus 4.4 degrees Celsius.

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir recorded a low of minus 2.3 degrees Celsius, compared to the previous night's 2.2 degrees Celsius, he said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir, which recorded a low of minus 1.4 degrees Celsius yesterday, registered a dip as the night temperature settled at a low of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius.

Qaziund - the gateway town to Kashmir - recorded the minimum of minus 0.9 degrees Celsius against 0.2 degree Celsius the previous night, the spokesperson said.

He said Kokernag in south Kashmir registered a low of minus 4.9 degrees Celsius, down by nearly three degrees from yesterday's minus 2.1 degrees Celsius.

The night temperature fell by over three degrees in Leh town of the frontier region of Ladakh to settle at minus 16.4 degrees Celsius, he said, adding, Leh was the coldest recorded place in the state.

In the nearby town of Kargil, the minimum temperature decreased by eight degrees from minus 8 degrees Celsius to settle at minus 16 degrees Celsius, he said.

Kashmir Valley is currently under the grip of 'Chillai-Kalan' during which the chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent.

However, this year the weather had remained mostly dry with occasional snowfall or rains mostly in higher reaches.

The unusual sunny days used to come as great relief from the bone-chilling cold owing to freezing temperatures due to clear skies.

Though 'Chillai-Kalan' would end on January 31, the winter continues after that. The 40-day period would be followed by a 20-day long 'Chillai Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day long 'Chillai Bachha' (baby cold).