Cold conditions abate in Kashmir

The tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir received fresh snowfall while many parts of the Valley were lashed by rains during the night even as the minimum temperatures rose further giving the residents more relief from cold conditions.
Pahalgam resort, which serves as base camp during annual Amarnath yatra, received 4.8 cm of fresh snow and the mercury there settled at minus 2.2 degrees Celsius, up by over three degrees from minus 5.7 degrees Celsius the previous night, a MeT official said here today.
He said the night temperature in the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg went up by over one degree to record a low of minus 7.0 degrees Celsius as against the previous night's minus 8.4 degrees Celsius.

Srinagar recorded a low of 0.6 degree Celsius last night, compared to minus 0.2 degree Celsius the previous night.
The city received 0.5 mm of rainfall, the official said.
He said the mercury in Qazigund - the gateway town to Kashmir valley - rose by one degree to settle at minus 1.4 degrees Celsius, as against the previous night's minus 2.6 degrees Celsius.

The town recorded 5.2 mm of rainfall during the night. Kokernag and Kupwara towns registered minimum temperatures of minus 1.5 degrees Celsius and minus 1.6 degrees Celsius respectively, the official said, adding Kokernag received 5.2 mm of rainfall.

Kargil, in Ladakh region, continues to be the coldest recorded place even as the mercury went up by three degrees to settle at a low of minus 13.8 degrees Celsius, compared to minus 16.8 degrees Celsius the previous night.
The nearby Leh town registered a minimum temperature of minus 6.9 degrees Celsius as against minus 5.9 degrees Celsius the previous night.
The town received 0.1 cm of fresh snowfall, the official said.
The MeT forecast that there is a possibility of light rain or snowfall at isolated places in the state over the next 24 hours.