Kashmir and Ladakh region are reeling under intense cold wave conditions with night temperatures dipping below normal resulting in partial freezing of Dal lake and other water bodies.
Srinagar had recorded its coldest night of the season on Sunday with mercury plummeting to minus 5.6 degrees Celsius. Though there was a slight improvement in minimum temperature in Srinagar on Monday, it still remained at bone-chilling minus 4.8 degrees Celsius, a MeT department official said. The all-time recorded low temperature in Srinagar during December was minus 12.8 degree Celsius on December 13, 1934.
In famed tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir, which serves as a base camp during annual Amarnath yatra, and ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir, mercury settled at minus 8.3 degrees Celsius at both the places.
Night temperature in Leh town of the cold desert Ladakh region settled at bone-chilling minus 16.1 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest recorded place in the state. The minimum in Leh, the previous night was minus 15.6 degrees, the official said. Neighbouring Kargil district was the second coldest recorded place in the state with mercury settling at minus 11.4 degrees Celsius.
Clear sky has resulted in the drop in night temperatures across the state. MeT Department has forecast the present weather conditions to continue for another four to five days resulting in a further dip in temperatures. The continued dry spell in Kashmir has resulted in the significant decrease in the water level in River Jhelum and other water bodies. Due to this, the power generation has hit all-time low resulting in prolonged power cuts which add to the miseries of people.