Srinagar, Dec 2 : Although there was a slight respite from the intense cold conditions in Kashmir on Thursday, but the mercury stayed below freezing point in the valley ahead of moderate snowfall and rain predicted by the MET centre from the evening of December 4 onwards.
There is no let up in cold wave conditions despite a slight improvement in night temperature as Srinagar which experienced the season’s coldest night with minus 2.5 degree Celsius a day ago showed an improvement and recorded temperature at minus 1.8 degree Celsius on Thursday.
Meanwhile, a MET office Srinagar suggests a fresh Western Disturbance is most likely to affect Jammu and Kashmir and adjoining areas from the evening of December 4 to December 6 afternoon. It said on December 5 widespread light to moderate snowfall in middle and higher reaches of the Kashmir valley and Jammu region and light snowfall and rain over plains will occur in the Union Territory.
Higher reaches of north Kashmir districts of Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora and in south Kashmir district of Shopian including Ganderbal district in central Kashmir may receive 6 inches to 9 inches of snow during the period.
It has also warned that there may be temporary disruption of air and surface traffic at Zojila, Sinthan top, Razdan top, Mughal Road due to the snowfall and freezing temperature on December 5, the MET office said.
The tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir was the coldest place in the Kashmir valley, although there was an improvement in the night temperature by a degree, recorded at minus 4.2 degree Celsius against minus 5.2 degree Celius recorded the previous day.
Meanwhile, Union Territory of Ladakh continues to be in the grip of intense cold and temperature at Air Force station of Drass further dipped to minus 11.8 degree celsius on Thursday against the minus 10.8 degree celsius recorded the previous day, while in Leh the temperature showed considerable improvement and was recorded at -6.3 degree celsius against the minus 11.9 degree celsius recorded the previous day, an overall improvement of over four degrees and at Kargil it was recorded at minus 7.9 degree Celsius against the minus 7.4 degree recorded on Wednesday.
The famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir, although showing a slight improvement in the night temperature, recorded temperature of minus 1.5 degree Celsius against the minus 1.6 degree Celsius the previous day. However, freezing cold conditions were covered with a thick fog, making the movement of tourists staying there difficult.
Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu national highway was recorded at minus 1.5 degree Celsius against minus 3.3 degree Celsius recorded on Wednesday, while Kokernag recorded minus 1.4 degree Celsius against minus 1.8 degree Celsius the previous day.
In the frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara, the minimum temperature showed a slight improvement and was recorded at minus 3.3 degree Celsius against the minus 3.5 degree Celsius the previous day, the MeT office said.
