Sun shines in Kashmir, Ladakh but night temp falls

A bright winter sun greeted people of Kashmir and Ladakh today though night temperatures in the two regions dipped because of recent snowfall.
Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low of zero degree Celsius which is normal for this part of the season but was almost three degrees below from the previous night's 2.8 degrees Celsius, an official of the Meteorological department said.
Sun shone in the morning providing relief to the people in the city, which witnessed incessant rains in the last few days.
The maximum in Srinagar yesterday was 9.7 degrees Celsius, almost two degrees above the season's average and is expected to rise further. However, the minimum is likely to fall in the week ahead in the absence of cloud cover, the official said.

The famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir, which recorded fresh snowfall during the inclement weather, was the coldest recorded place in the Valley with a low of minus 7.2 degrees Celsius against the previous night's minus 6 degrees Celsius.
Pahalgam hill resort in south, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra during summer, recorded a low of minus 5.5 degrees Celsius, a drop of over three degrees, the official said.

The night temperature in Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir Valley, dropped from 1.8 degrees Celsius to settle at a low of 1.6 degrees Celsius.

The north Kashmir town of Kupwara had a low of minus 0.8 degree Celsius and Kokernag in south Kashmir 0.2 degree Celsius.
Leh in Ladakh region was the coldest in Jammu and Kashmir with the night temperature settling at minus 13.5 degrees Celsius, down by over two degrees. The minimum in nearby Kargil town was minus 13.4 degrees Celsius.
Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day harshest phase of the cold, ended yesterday with most of the high altitude areas of the Valley and Ladakh region experiencing season's heavy snowfall between January 29 and 31.
It is followed by a 20-day long 'Chillai- Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day long 'Chillai Bachha' (baby cold).