With rise in minimum temperatures, Kashmir residents get some respite from cold

The minimum temperature at most places in Kashmir went up on Saturday providing some relief to the residents, even as the meteorological office forecast mainly dry and cold weather over the next few days in the valley.

Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 2.5 degrees Celsius up over a degree from minus 3.9 degrees Celsius the previous night, a MeT department official said.

Qazigund the gateway town to the valley in south Kashmir settled at a low of minus 1.4 degrees Celsius over four degrees up from minus 5.5 degrees Celsius, he said.

The night temperature in Kokernag, in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara, in north Kashmir, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.3 degrees Celsius, the official said.

The ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir was the coldest recorded place in the valley at minus 12.2 degrees Celsius a slight decrease from the previous day's minus 12 degrees Celsius, the official said.

Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir, which acts as the base camp for the Amarnath yatra, recorded a low of minus 8.9 degrees Celsius an increase of around three degrees from minus 11.8 degrees Celsius the previous night, he said.

Leh in the neighbouring Union Territory of Ladakh recorded a low of minus 15.3 degrees Celsius, the official added.

The MeT office has said the weather is expected to remain mainly dry over the next few days in the valley owing to which the temperature could drop further.