Srinagar, Dec 25 : The twin tourist resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam in Kashmir continue to experience extreme cold even as Srinagar maintained temperature above freezing point lending the city dwellers some respite.
Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district was the coldest place in Kashmir. It recorded minus 6.5 degrees Celsius, an official of the Meteorological Department said.
Gulmarg and the upper reaches of Kashmir received light snow on Friday.Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.1 degrees Celsius.
In Srinagar, the minimum temperature settled at 1.7 degrees Celsius against last night’s 2.4 degrees Celsius, the MeT official said.
Qazigund town in south Kashmir recorded 2.2 degrees Celsius night temperature and Kupwara district in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 0.8 degrees Celsius.
Kashmir’s 40 days harshest winter phase “Chilai Kalan” started on Tuesday.
In the Ladakh region, Leh recorded a low of minus 10.2 degrees C overnight, the MeT said. The minimum temperature in Drass was recorded at minus 17.5. Jammu recorded a minimum temperature of 7.6 degrees Celsius
The weather man has predicted snowfall from Sunday evening to Tuesday forenoon.
“During this phase the plains of Kashmir will witness a light snowfall up to one inches.
“The higher reaches would witness moderate (5 to 6 inches) snow,” the MeT official said, adding “light snowfall is expected at scattered places of Ladakh, especially Kargil-Zanskar area and light rain is likely at scattered places of Jammu region during the above period, especially on December 27.”
The weather office said there is no forecast of any major snowfall till the end of December.
UNI
