Slight respite from cold in Valley

The residents of Kashmir Valley had some respite from extreme cold conditions as the night temperatures rose by around two degrees at most places, even as cold and dry weather continues to prevail in the state.
Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 2.0 degrees Celsius, up by almost two degrees from the previous night's minus 3.8 degrees Celsius, a MeT department spokesman said.
He said the mercury in Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir Valley in south, also increased by almost two degrees to settle at a low of minus 3 degrees Celsius.

Pahalgam in south Kashmir, which serves as a base-camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3.5 degrees Celsius, an increase of over two degrees from the previous night's minus 6.0 degrees Celsius, he said.
He said the minimum temperature in the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg increased by a degree to settle at minus 3.2 degrees Celsius.
The night temperatures in Kupwara, in north Kashmir, and Kokernag, in south, also rose slightly to settle at the minimum of minus 5.1 degrees and minus 3.1 degrees Celsius respectively, he said.
Leh, in Ladakh region, continued to be the coldest recorded place in the state as the minimum temperature there was recorded at minus 14.4 degrees Celsius- almost same as the previous night, he said.