Srinagar, Dec 15: The cold wave continues to grip the Kashmir Valley, with a slight decrease in night temperatures, which, however, remained below freezing point, officials said on Sunday.
According to the Meteorological Centre Srinagar, the cold wave is expected to persist over many weather stations in the Kashmir Valley for the next few days. The weather will remain generally dry until December 21, when the harshest phase of the 40-day-long winter spell, “Chilai-e-Kalan,” will begin.
Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.4°C during the night between Saturday and Sunday, which was 2.2°C below the normal temperature of 1.2°C for this period.
Qazigund, on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, saw a slight improvement, with a temperature of minus 4.0°C, up from minus 5.6°C the previous night, but still 2.6°C below normal.
Pahalgam, a popular tourist spot, recorded a low of minus 4.8°C, an improvement from minus 8.4°C the day before, though it remained 0.7°C below the normal temperature for the area.
Kokernag registered a low of 2.8°C, compared to 4.2°C the previous night, 1.3°C below normal for the famous picnic spot in south Kashmir.
Gulmarg, the ski resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, saw an improvement in night temperatures, recording minus 3.8°C, up from minus 7.6°C the previous day, and 1.2°C above normal.
Kupwara, in frontier Kashmir, also recorded a low of minus 1.3°C, which was slightly above the normal of minus 1.5°C.
