Minus 8.2 in Srinagar, minus 10 in Qazigund, minus 25.8 in Drass; forecast of snow, rain next weekend

Srinagar: There was no let-up in the freezing conditions in Kashmir valley on Saturday as minimum temperatures continued to linger several notches below zero. Foggy mornings were experienced for the second day in several parts of the valley, including Srinagar city, though later in the forenoon, sunlight pierced through the layer of fog.
Srinagar city recorded a low of minus 8.2 degree Celsius on Saturday. The Dal Lake continued to wear its frozen look, but during the day personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were seen breaking the ice in the lake to deter people from venturing onto its surface, a day after several photos and videos viral on social media showing people walking and playing on the lake’s icy surface.
Qazigund in south Kashmir was the coldest place in the valley on Saturday after recording a low of minus 10.0 degree Celsius, against minus 8.3 degree recorded on the previous night. Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 9.4 degree Celsius, against the minus 8.6 degree Celsius on the earlier night. Its neighbouring Kokernag recorded minus 8.7 degree Celsius against minus 8.4°C recorded the day earlier.
Against minus 5.7 degree Celsius on the previous night, the ski-resort Gulmarg recorded minus 5.4 degree Celsius, while Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded minus 6.8 degree Celsius as against minus 5.7°C on the previous night.
The Ladakh region continued to reel under extreme cold with Leh recording minus 12.1°C minimum temperature, as against minus 11.6 degree Celsius the previous night. Kargil recorded minus 19.0 degree Celsius against the previous night’s minus 17.6 degree Celsius. The mercury in Drass reached a low of minus 25.8 degree Celsius on Saturday.
The meteorological office in Srinagar forecast possible snowfall and rainfall across the valley on the next weekend, from 23rd January, for a period of two days. MeT officials said the weather was likely to remain dry till then
“A fresh western disturbance is likely to hit J&K between 22nd and 24th of January which will be causing snowfall and rainfall across Kashmir valley for a period of two days. While the possibility of precipitation is evident, the intensity is yet to be known. It will be observed over the next two days as to what extent the precipitation can happen during this period,” Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, Deputy Director, J&K Meteorological Department, told Kashmir Reader.
He added that there will be respite from the ongoing cold-wave as the minimum temperatures were expected to rise by the next weekend along with the wet spell.

Reader correspondent