Cold tightens grip in Kashmir

The night temperature at most places in Kashmir division dropped by several notches today and the mercury settled below the freezing point in many parts even as the Meteorological Department forecast continuous dry spell for the week ahead.
Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, recorded the minimum temperature of 0.3 degrees Celsius, a decrease of over three degrees from the previous night's 3.9 degrees Celsius, an official of the MeT Department here said.
The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir registered the low of minus 2.4 degrees Celsius, down by over four degrees from the previous night.
Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir recorded the low of minus 0.3 degree Celsius - a drop of over three degrees from 2.9 degrees Celsius yesterday, the official said.

There was slight rainfall in both the resorts during the night, he said.
Kupwara was the coldest recorded place in the state as the minimum temperature went further down from the previous night's minus 2.5 degrees Celsius to settle at minus 2.8 degrees Celsius.

The minimum in Kokernag town in south Kashmir settled at 2.3 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir Valley in south recorded the low of 0.2 degree Celsius against yesterday's zero degrees Celsius, the official said.
The night temperature in Leh, in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, registered an increase of one degrees from minus 3.1 degrees Celsius yesterday to settle at the low of minus 2.1 degrees Celsius, he said.

The official said that the nearby Kargil town recorded the minimum temperature of minus 2.5 degrees Celsius, down by over two degrees from the previous night.