Srinagar: Rain lashed several parts of Kashmir Valley with the famous ski resort of Gulmarg reeling under severe cold conditions at a low of minus 11.2 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Gulmarg plummeted over four notches from the previous night's minus 7.0 degrees Celsius to minus 11.2 degrees Celsius, an official of the MET Department said.
He said Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, as against minus 1.4 degrees Celsius yesterday, adding the resort received 3 mm rainfall.
Summer capital Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of 2.9 degrees Celsius last night, slightly down up from the previous night's 3.1 degrees Celsius, the official said.
The gateway town of Qazigund recorded minimum temperature of 1.2 degrees Celsius, he said, adding the minimum in Kokernag settled at a low of minus 0.1 degrees Celsius. Qazigund received 7.2 mm of rainfall while Kokernag recorded 13 mm.
He said Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of 1.0 degree Celsius, a drop of half a degree from the previous night's 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Leh and Kargil towns in cold desert region of Ladakh recorded low temperatures of minus 4.8 degrees Celsius and minus 8.4 degrees Celsius respectively, the spokesman said.
He added the minimum temperature in the twin towns was minus 6.2 degrees Celsius and minus 10.2 degrees Celsius respectively the previous night.
Meanwhile, authorities have sounded an avalanche warning in snow-bound areas of north Kashmir.
"An avalanche warning has been sounded in the areas of Naugam Kayiam, Chowkibal, Tangdhar, Keran and Gurez sectors," an official spokesperson said yesterday.
He said the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, has advised people living in these areas not to venture into steep avalanche prone slopes during next 24 hours and frequently remove snow from roof tops of their houses to avoid any causality due to house collapse.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, February 17, 2013, 16:45