Srinagar, Dec 18: Cold conditions intensified in J&K and Ladakh as Srinagar experienced the coldest night of the season so far at minus 6.0°C on Saturday.
A meteorological department official here said that the mercury in the summer capital was down from previous night’s minus 3.8°C by minus 2.2°C and overall it was below minus 4.5°C than the normal for this time of the year.
Barring last year, it is for the first time in last decade that mercury has plunged to minus 6.0°C or more before the onset of the Chillai-e-Kalan, the 40-day long chilliest part of the season, starting on December 21. In last ten years, it has been four occasions when the mercury fell to minus 6.0°C or above in Srinagar.
On 19 December 2020, the mercury had plummeted to minus 6.6°C while as lowest in month of December was recorded on 30th day in 2019 at 6.6°C. In last ten years, the lowest was recorded 25 December 2017 when mercury plunged to minus 7.7°C. The lowest ever temperature in December was recorded on 13th of 1934 when mercury fell to minus 12.8°C.
Meanwhile, the mercury in the world famous resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district settled at minus 8.5°C, up by 0.1°C the previous night, the official said.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had a low of minus 6.0°C against minus 3.2°C on the previous night, he said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 8.3°C against minus 5.6°C on previous night.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 5.1°C against minus 3.5°C on previous night, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 6.1°C against minus 4.4°C on the previous night, the official said.
Jammu, the J&K’s winter capital, saw a low of 2.3°C which is minus 6.6°C below normal, he said.
Ladakh’s Leh had a low of minus 15.3°C against last night’s minus 14.2°C while automatic Kargil station recorded minimum of minus 13.1°C. Drass in Kargil, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 19.7°C, the official said.
