With the Valley and higher reaches already reeling under sub-zero night temperatures, cold wave conditions are set to intensify across Jammu and Kashmir from tomorrow, officials said
According to the meteorological department the minimum night temperature stayed between 0–2°C around normal at several places in the Kashmir division, indicating a brief respite from the intense cold of the past few days. In the Jammu division, the night temperature remained 1–2°C above normal at scattered places
According to MeT the summer capital Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of –1.6°C, marking an increase from the preceding night’s –4.0°C.
The famous tourist resorts of Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg continue to remain in deep freeze.
Pahalgam in Anantnag district recorded a low of –7.2°C, slightly down from the previous night’s –6.8°C, indicating a further dip in the mercury. The ski resort of Gulmarg in Baramulla district settled at –7.6°C, showing a modest improvement from –8.6°C the previous night. Sonamarg in Ganderbal district was the coldest among the major resorts, with the minimum temperature plunging to a piercing –10.1°C.
Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded –3.6°C against –3.1°C earlier.
In south Kashmir, Pulwama recorded –5.1°C as against –5.4°C the preceding night, while Shopian registered –4.3°C, rising noticeably from –6.0°C earlier.
In Jammu Bhaderwah emerged as the coldest place with a low of –2.6°C.
In the union Territory of Ladakh, the cold tightened its grip further. Drass — often described as the second-coldest inhabited place in the world — recorded –22.8°C, while Nyoma dipped to –20.2°C. Leh settled at –13.4°C, Kargil at –11.6°C, and Padum at –16.8°C.
Officials said the cold wave is likely to intensify over the next four days. Minimum temperatures in the Kashmir plains are expected to range between –4°C and –9°C, while higher reaches may experience temperatures between –6°C and –13°C. In the Jammu plains, minimum temperatures are likely to hover between 0°C and 6°C.
No major weather system is expected to affect Jammu and Kashmir till January 17.
