Leh coldest recorded place in Ladakh, mercury marks improvement in Kashmir

Leh town of Ladakh was the coldest recorded place at a low of minus 6.3 degrees Celsius, while the mercury in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday marked an improvement after plummeting several degrees below season's average over the past couple of days, a MeT department official said.

However, Jammu city recorded a dip in the maximum and minimum temperature as Sun played hide and seek during the day, the official said.

Besides Leh, he said the nearby Kargil town and the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir also recorded sub-zero night temperatures of minus 3.8 and minus 1.3 degrees Celsius, respectively.

The high altitudes of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh including Gulmarg experienced a fresh snowfall, while the plains were lashed by light to moderate rains between November 21 and 23.

With Sun making an appearance in Srinagar, the official said the city recorded an increase of five notches in the maximum temperature which settled at 12.4 degrees Celsius -- just 1.4 degrees below normal during this part of the season.

The minimum temperature in the city also shot up to 4.9 degrees Celsius against the previous night's 3.2 degrees Celsius, he said adding it is 4.8 degrees above the season's average.

The maximum temperature in Jammu fell by 0.8 notches and settled at 24.3 degrees Celsius, while the night temperature in the city fell by over two degrees to settle at 12.9 degrees Celsius against the previous night's 15.0 degrees Celsius, the official said.

Bhaderwah town in Doda district was the coldest recorded place in Jammu region with a high of 14.7 degrees Celsius and a low of 4.5 degrees Celsius, the official said.

He said Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi shrine, recorded a maximum of 21.5 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 11.6 degrees Celsius.

The weatherman has forecast dry weather in most parts of the two union territories during the next two days followed by a brief spell of rain or snow at most places on November 27.