Cold wave continues unabated in Kashmir

Even as the MeT department has predicted snow and rain, cold wave in Kashmir continued unabated on Wednesday with the minimum temperature in the Valley and Ladakh region hovering several degrees below the freezing point.

A MeT department official said there will be slight snowfall and rain in plains of Kashmir in next 24-hours while upper reaches will receive moderate snowfall. Weather is likely to improve from Saturday morning, he said.

Srinagar and other parts of the Kashmir Valley received light rain on Wednesday evening while the hills had light snowfall and icy winds were blowing across the Valley.
The official said the minimum overnight temperature in Srinagar city was minus 0.3 degree Celsius. The famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir was the coldest place in the state with mercury dropping to minus 11.4 degree Celsius while Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 6.6 degrees Celsius.

Leh town, 434 kms from here, in Ladakh region was the coldest place recording a minimum of minus 11.3 degrees Celsius, the official said. Neighbouring Kargil town recorded a minimum temperature of minus 10.5 degree Celsius.

Jammu city recorded a minimum temperature of 5.6 degrees Celsius which is four degrees below the season’s average, he said. Meanwhile, Traffic Department officials have asked highway travellers to contact Traffic Control Units on Thursday before leaving for their destinations.