Some respite from cold in parts of J-K as night temperatures rise

The minimum temperature in most parts of Kashmir rose marginally on Sunday, bringing some respite from biting cold in the valley, a Meteorological Department official said.

The Union territory of Ladakh, however, continued to be gripped by intense cold, he said.

The weather remained mostly dry in Kashmir, according to the MeT department.

Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of 1.2 degrees Celsius on Saturday night -- up from minus 0.4 degree Celsius on Friday night.

The night temperature in the city was 3.2 notches above normal for this time of the season.

The ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir was the coldest place in the valley last night with a minimum temperature of minus 7.6 degrees Celsius -- two notches more than Friday night's minus 9.6 degrees Celsius.

Qazigund, the gateway town to the valley, in south Kashmir recorded a low of 0.2 degrees Celsius, a marginal rise from zero degrees Celsius the night before.

South Kashmir's Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.3 degree Celsius, while Kupwara, in north, registered a minimum temperature of 1.3 degrees Celsius on Saturday night.

However, the mercury in Pahalgam, which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 6.8 degrees -- down almost four notches from Friday night's minus 3 degrees Celsius.

According to the weatherman, Leh town in Ladakh recorded a low of minus 9.9 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperature in Drass plummeted 13 notches from Saturday's minus 8.5 degrees Celsius to settle at a low of minus 21.6 degrees Celsius, the official said.

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