Mercury drops below zero in Srinagar; Kargil coldest in J&K

Mercury dropped slightly below zero in Srinagar and more in other parts of the Kashmir Valley on Monday even as the minimum overnight temperature in the Jammu and Kashmir capital was recorded at this winter season's lowest.

In the Kashmir Valley, mercury dipped to 3.6 degrees Celsius below the frezing point in Gulmarg and minus 3.4 degrees Celsius in Pahalgam.

"Minimum temperature today (Monday) in Srinagar was minus 0.9 degree," an official of the local weather office told IANS here.

He said the dip in the minimum temperature was due to mostly clear night sky and dry weather conditions. The sunshine was mild  in Srinagar on Monday morning.

The local meteorological office has forecast mainly dry weather for the next three to four days in the state.

"We are expecting a partly sunny day in Srinagar on Monday, with a maximum temperature hovering around 13 degrees Celsius", the weather official said.

Kargil town in Ladakh region was the coldest in the state on Monday at minus 9.7 degrees Celcius while Leh town shivered at minus 9 degrees.

The official said Kargil recorded the lowest overnight temperature in Jammu and Kashmir at minus 9.7 degrees.

"Overnight minimum temperature in Jammu city was 10.4 degrees on Monday," the Met official said.

At other places in Jammu region, the minimum temperature was 11.9 degrees in Katra town, 1.5 degrees in Banihal, 5.5 degrees in Batote and 2.1 degrees in Bhaderwah town, the local Met Office said.