Cold wave grips Kashmir; Leh and Kargil get some respite

Srinagar also saw the night temperature settle at minus 3.7 deg C.

The Valley was today gripped by intense cold wave with temperature coming down to a record low of minus 16.1 degrees Celsius in Pahalgam resort,resulting in partial freezing of Dal lake and other water bodies in the state,a MET department official said.

Pahalgam in south Kashmir,recorded the coldest night of this winter as mercury plunged by nearly 14 degrees since Saturday night.

Gulmarg in north Kashmir saw a sharp dip in minimum temperature as mercury fell to 14.2 deg below freezing point compared to yesterday’s minus 10.6 deg C,the official said.

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Srinagar also saw the night temperature settle at minus 3.7 deg C.

Kupwara froze at minus 8.1 deg C while Qazigund had a minimum of minus 7.6 deg C.

However,residents of Ladakh,which is the coldest region in the state,got some respite from the cold wave as night temperature increased by a couple of degrees in both Leh and Kargil district town headquarters.

While Kargil recorded a minimum of minus 13.4 deg C compared to yesterday’s minus 16.4 deg C,Leh had a night temperature of minus 8.0 deg C — 1.4 deg C higher than Saturday night.

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The sudden plunge in the minimum temperature across the Valley was due to the heavy snowfall on Friday,which had brought the minimum temperature close to freezing point.

The fresh cold wave has resulted in formation of thin layer of ice on the surface of Dal Lake and several other water bodies in the valley,officials said adding water taps in many parts of the valley were also frozen due to the dip in minimum temperature.

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