Chilly weather in Kashmir ahead of winter

People woke up here to a chilly Wednesday morning as the mercury dipped to below freezing point in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

The lowest temperature of minus 6.1 degrees Celsius was recorded in Leh town of Ladakh region.

"The overnight minimum temperature in Srinagar was 1.5 degrees Celsius, that is five degrees below normal," an official of the local weather office told IANS.

The official, however, said the weather would remain dry during the next 24 hours in Jammu and Kashmir.

"There will be clear skies today (Wednesday) in Srinagar with the maximum temperature likely to hover around 16 degrees Celsius," the official said.

The tourist resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam also shivered as the mercury dipped below the freezing point.

The minimum temperature in Jammu city was 12.9 degrees Celsius.

There has been snowfall in all the higher reaches of the Kashmir Valley and the Ladakh region last week which has sent chilly winds blowing down.