Srinagar,: Night temperature dropped to below freezing point in Kashmir Valley except Srinagar and Kokernag on Tuesday, officials said.

A meteorological department official siad  that Srinagar, the summer capital of the J&K, recorded a low of 0.8°C against last night’s 1.4°C. The temperature was below 0.2°C than the normal for this time of the year, he said.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 1.0°C against 0.0°C on the previous night, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, had a low of 0.2°C against 0.6°C on the previous night, the official said.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 4.2°C against minus 3.4°C last night, he said.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 6.8°C against minus 4.0°C on the previous night, he said.

The temperature was 1.0°C below normal for this time of the year in the famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 0.2°C against 0.5°C on the previous night, the official said.

While the ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day long harshest period of winter ended on January 30, Kashmir is under the grip of the 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ which would be followed by 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.

Jammu recorded a low of 9.1°C against previous night’s 9.3°C, the official said. The temperature was 1.4°C below normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.

Banihal recorded a low of 0.2°C, Batote 2.7°C and Bhaderwah 1.5°C, the official said.

Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 10.4°C against last night minus 11.5°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 14°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 12.0°C against minus 18.0°C on the previous night, official said.

Weather is likely to remain erratic (generally cloudy and sunshine at times) during 15 to 21st with a possibility of brief spell of light rain and snow (over higher reaches) at scattered places of J&K during February 15 (night) to 16th and February 18-19th,” the official said. “There’s no forecast of any major rain and snow for the next 10 days,” he added. (GNS)

Press Trust of India