Dense fog in Jammu, Leh freezes at minus 16.4 degrees

Dense fog affected life in Jammu on Wednesday as Leh town in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of minus 16.4 degrees Celcius, the season's lowest recorded there so far.

Heavy fog in Jammu also forced aviation authorities to re-schedule morning flights to and from the city airport.

Traffic moved at a snail's pace on Jammu roads as visibility was less than five metres.

"Leh recorded the season's lowest minimum temperature at minus 16.4 degrees. Kargil town recorded minus 15.0 degrees on Wednesday.

"In Jammu, the lowest night temperature was 5.6 degrees while it was 5.0 degrees in Katra, 2.0 degrees in Batote, 4.7 degrees in Bannihal, minus 2.4 degrees in Bhaderwah and 0.7 degrees in Udhampur.

"In the Valley, Srinagar recorded a low of minus 4.4 degrees, minus 7.5 degrees in Pahalgam and minus 7.4 degrees in Gulmarg on Wednesday," a Met official told IANS.

The official said weather is likely to remain dry during the next 24 hours in Jammu and Kashmir.

The 40-day-long period of extreme cold in the Valley, known locally as 'Chillai Kalan', began on December 21 and will end on January 31.