Unabated cold wave in Kashmir; Leh coldest

Cold wave conditions continued unabated in Kashmir Valley owing to the dry weather even as the weatherman predicted some respite next week with the possibility of isolated rains or snowfall.
Leh, in the frontier Ladakh region, was the coldest recorded place in the state with a minimum temperature of minus 16.2 degree Celsius, same as the previous night, a MeT department spokesman said.
Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 4.8 degree Celsius, slightly down from the previous night's low of minus 4.2 degrees, the spokesman said.
He said Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir Valley in south, recorded a low of minus 5.8 degree Celsius, almost a degree down from minus 5.0 degree Celsius the previous night.

The mercury in Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir, which serves as a base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, registered a low of minus 6.6 degrees, slightly down from the previous night's minus 6.4 degree Celsius, he said.
The minimum temperature in the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg settled at minus 3.0 degree Celsius, same as the previous night, the spokesman said.

The night temperatures in Kupwara, in north Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 4.8 degree Celsius while Kokernag, in south, recorded a minimum of minus 3.1 degree Celsius- over a degree down from the previous night's minus 1.7 degree Celsius, he said.

Kargil, in Ladakh region, recorded a low of minus 16.0 degree Celsius, up by over one degree from minus 17.2 degrees the previous night, he said.
The MeT office has said a fresh western disturbance is likely to affect Jammu and Kashmir from January 12 which could result in isolated to scattered rain or thundershower.
However, it said, the weather would remain dry and cold over the state till then.
Kashmir Valley is currently under the grip of "Chillai- Kalan" -- the 40-day harshest winter period, which began on December 21.
The chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent during this period and the weather remains cold during as the day temperature also dips drastically, freezing most of the water bodies including the famous Dal Lake.

Though "Chillai-Kalan" would end on January 31, winter continues after that. The 40-day period would be followed by a 20-day long "Chillai Khurd" (small cold) and a 10-day long "Chillai Bachha" (baby cold).