Drass shivers at minus 11.5 as mercury dips in J-K, Ladakh

Drass emerged as the coldest place in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, recording a low of minus 11.5 degrees Celsius, as the mercury dipped in most parts of the two Union Territories on Tuesday, a Meteorological (MeT) department spokesman said.

The weatherman has predicted light to moderate rain or snow in plains and moderate snow over higher reaches of the two Union Territories on Thursday and Friday with possibility of temporary disruption of traffic on Srinagar-Jammu and Srinagar-Leh highways.

Drass town, popularly known as 'the gateway to Ladakh', recorded a minimum of minus 11.5 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest recorded place in the region, the spokesman said.

He said Leh town of Ladakh continue to freeze at a low of minus 6.8 degrees Celsius, while Kargil town recorded a night temperature of minus 3.2 degrees Celsius.

Srinagar, which witnessed an unprecedented snowfall on November 6 and 7, marked a dip in the day and night temperature which settled at 13.5 degrees Celsius and 3.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, the spokesman said.

He said while the day temperature in the city was 1.6 degrees below normal, the night temperature was 3.2 degrees above normal during this part of the season.

The famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir was the coldest recorded place in Kashmir at a minimum of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, while Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 2.3 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said.

The maximum temperature in Jammu was 23.8 degrees Celsius against the previous day's 24.6 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said, adding the night temperature in the city, however, marked a slight increase to settle at 12.3 degrees Celsius against the previous night's 11.7 degrees Celsius.

Katra, the famous town which serves as the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district, recorded a high of 22.4 degrees Celsius and a low of 10.8 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said.