Kashmir continues to reel under intense cold

Kashmir valley and Ladakh region continue to reel under intense cold wave as temperatures dipped further at most of the places on Tuesday.

An official at MeT Department said mercury plummeted to minus 3.2 degrees Celsius on Monday night compared to previous night’s minus 2.8 degrees. This was the coldest night in Srinagar this season.

South Kashmir famous hill resort Pahalgam, which serves as a base camp during the annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a minimum temperature of 5.5 degrees Celsius, while mercury at the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir settled at minus 4.0 degrees, he said.

Leh in the frontier region of Ladakh was the coldest recorded place in the state with the night temperature dropping to minus 10.6 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in neighbouring Kargil town settled at minus 9.7 degrees Celsius. 

The cold wave has intensified over the last few days with sub-zero night temperatures resulting in freezing of water supply lines in several areas. The minimum temperatures were likely to drop further due to clear night sky as mainly dry weather was expected in the next seven days in the state, the Met office has forecast.

Reports said bad weather condition and poor visibility resulted in slowing down of traffic movement on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway and other roads in Kashmir.