by Syed Samreen
Srinagar
Minimum temperatures continued dropped in the Kashmir Valley on Friday due to clear overnight sky, a Met official said.
A tourist poses for a photograph near a frozen waterfall in the Drang area of Tangmarg. KL Image by Bilal Bahadur
“The minimum temperatures dropped further across Jammu and Kashmir today due to clear night sky. These temperatures are likely to drop further as the weather is likely to remain dry during the next two days,” he said.
The cold wave has resulted in freezing of some water bodies, including the outer boundaries of Dal Lake, leading to blocking of water supply pipes in many areas of the city and other towns of the Valley.
Kashmir is currently in the grip of ‘Chilai Kalan’ the harshest period of winter when temperatures drop considerably.
Leh town of Ladakh region recorded the lowest minimum temperature at minus 20.1 degrees Celsius while Qazigund in south Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of minus 8.2 degree Celsius.
The famous hill resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir was the coldest place in Kashmir with a low of minus 13.4 degrees Celsius.
The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of minus 11.0 degree Celsius.
Srinagar recorded the lowest night temperature of the season so far as the minimum temperature recorded in the city was minus 6.1 degrees Celsius, an official of the Meteorological Department said.
Kupwara township of north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 9.6 degrees Celsius while Kokernag, in south Kashmir, recorded minus 6.4 degrees Celsius.
In the Jammu region, Jammu city recorded 4.1 degrees Celsius, Katra recorded 5.4, Banihal 2.4, Batote recorded 0.2 and Bhaderwah minus 3.2 as the night’s lowest temperatures.