Coldest night of season in Srinagar, mercury drop to minus 4.2 deg C

Srinagar experienced the coldest night of the season Saturday night as the mercury continued its downward spiral in most parts of the Kashmir valley and Ladakh region.

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius Saturday night, down from minus 4.2 degrees Celsius the previous night, MET officials said Sunday.

It was the coldest night of the season so far in the city, they said.

The night temperature in the city has dropped over five degrees since Thursday as the valley is moving closer to the 40-day harshest winter period, locally known as 'Chillai Kalan', which begins December 21.

The officials said Qazigund, Kupwara and Leh also experienced the coldest night of the season Saturday night along with Srinagar.

Qazigund, the gateway town to the valley, in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius Saturday night, compared to the previous night's minus 5 degrees Celsius.

The officials said it was the coldest December night in Qazigund in the last four years. The town had recorded a low of minus 5.9 degrees Celsius on December 27, 2014.

The nearby Kokernag town recorded a low of minus 5.7 degrees Celsius Saturday night, up from minus 6.6 degrees Celsius the previous night, they said.

Kupwara in north Kashmir saw the mercury going down from minus 4.5 degrees Celsius the previous night to settle at a low of minus 6 degrees Celsius Saturday, the official said.

They said it was the coldest December night in Kupwara in the last five years.

The night temperature in Pahalgam, which serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 9.3 degrees Celsius, compared to the previous night's minus 9.5 degrees Celsius.

The ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded the minimum temperature of minus 9.5 degrees Celsius , Saturday, up two notches from the previous night, the officials said.

The mercury in Leh town, in Ladakh region, went down from the previous night's minus 13.9 degrees Celsius to settle at a low of minus 15.6 degrees Celsius Saturday night.

Leh was the coldest place in Jammu and Kashmir.

The officials said the mercury in the nearby Kargil town settled at a low of minus 10.8 degrees Celsius, compared to minus 10.2 degrees Celsius the previous night.

The MeT Office has forecast mainly dry weather for the week ahead.