Srinagar, Dec 27: Kashmir witnessed a sharp dip in night temperatures, with the mercury plunging below the freezing point across most parts of the Valley due to clear skies, officials said.
Weather authorities said the region is now preparing for a fresh spell of rain and snowfall around New Year’s Eve. Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 2.6 degrees Celsius, a significant drop from 0.2 degrees Celsius registered the previous night.
Central Kashmir’s tourist destination Sonamarg emerged as the coldest place in Jammu and Kashmir, logging a low of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius, compared to minus 4.7 degrees Celsius a day earlier. South Kashmir’s Pahalgam, a key base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded the second-lowest temperature at minus 4.8 degrees Celsius.
The famed ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir registered a minimum temperature of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius. Other areas also experienced biting cold, with Qazigund at minus 2.8 degrees Celsius, Kupwara at minus 3.8 degrees Celsius and Kokernag at minus 0.9 degrees Celsius.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Kashmir is likely to witness generally dry weather conditions until December 29. However, wet weather is expected to return towards the end of the month.
The weather office forecast light rain or snowfall at isolated places on December 30, followed by widespread precipitation across many areas on December 31 and January 1. It added that moderate snowfall is likely in some middle and higher reaches of north and central Kashmir during this period.
On January 2, light snowfall is expected over isolated higher-altitude areas, the IMD said. (KINS)
