Asian Mail
Srinagar: Despite the Meteorological Department’s forecast of snowfall during the first week of the New Year, the Kashmir Valley is in the grip of a chilling winter, causing various hardships to the residents of the valley.
The valley’s famous tourist destination Gulmarg recorded a minimum temperature of minus 8.8 degrees Celsius, while the valley’s other famous tourist destination Pahalgam recorded a minimum temperature of minus 7.6 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature was recorded at minus 7.2 degrees Celsius in Sonamarg in south Kashmir. The minimum temperature was recorded at minus 4.4 degrees Celsius in the summer capital Srinagar, where the previous night’s temperature was minus 3.5 degrees Celsius.
On December 21, the night temperature in Srinagar was recorded at minus 8.5 degrees Celsius, the coldest night of the current season, which is the third lowest temperature recorded in Srinagar in the month of December in the last 133 years. The minimum temperature in Srinagar in December 1974 was minus 10.3 degrees Celsius and on December 13, 1964, the night temperature was minus 12.8 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature was recorded at minus 0.3 degrees Celsius in the district of Kupwara, where the previous night’s temperature was minus 0.1 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature was recorded at minus 6.0 degrees Celsius in Qazigund, , where the previous night’s temperature was minus 7.5 degrees Celsius. The night temperatures in Baramulla and Bandipora districts of north Kashmir were minus 1.6 degrees Celsius and minus 0.7 degrees Celsius respectively. The minimum temperatures in Budgam and Ganderbal districts of central Kashmir were minus 4.2 degrees Celsius and minus 3.0 degrees Celsius respectively.
The minimum temperatures in Pulwama, Anantnag, Kulgam and Shopian in south Kashmir were minus 7.0 degrees Celsius, 8.1 degrees Celsius, minus 7.0 degrees Celsius and minus 10.2 degrees Celsius respectively.
The minimum temperature in Leh district of Ladakh Union Territory was minus 8.2 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature in Kargil district was minus 14.4 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Drass, the second coldest region in the world after Siberia, was minus 18.3 degrees Celsius. According to the MeT Official, light snowfall is likely to occur in the valley from the evening of January 1 to the afternoon of January 2 under the influence of a weak westerly wind.
He said that the weather in the valley will remain cloudy on January 3 with light snowfall in the hilly areas.
He said that after this, light to moderate snowfall may occur in the plains of the valley from the evening of January 4 to the late night of January 5 under the influence of another westerly wind, while heavy snowfall may occur in the hilly areas. He said that the weather is expected to improve later from the afternoon of January 6. He said that the weather in the valley is likely to remain dry overall from January 7 to January 10.
The department has advised tourists, travelers and transporters in the advisory to follow the traffic advisory in view of the temperature being recorded below freezing point and snowy conditions at important passes and hilly areas. He said that heavy snowfall is likely in some hilly areas of the valley from January 4 to 6.
