Mercury at sub-zero levels in Kashmir, Kargil is coldest

Srinagar: Most places in Kashmir continued to reel under intense cold with the night temperature staying below the freezing point, while Kargil town in Ladakh region registered the season's coldest night at minus 9.2 degrees Celsius.

Srinagar recorded a low of minus 2.5 degrees Celsius - four degrees below normal during this part of the season, an official of the Meteorological Department here said, adding it was, however, a slight improvement from yesterday's minus 2.7 degrees Celsius.

Kargil was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir as it witnessed the lowest night temperature of the season so far, the official said.

Its nearby Leh town also shivered at minus 8.4 degrees Celsius as the cold wave has hit the region owing to a prolonged dry spell.

The minimum in Kupwara, in north Kashmir, also rose from minus 2.7 degrees Celsius yesterday to settle at minus 2.3 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag town in south was the only recorded place in the Valley where the night temperature remained above freezing point at 0.5 degree Celsius.

The official said the hill resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded the minimum of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest place in the Valley.

The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir registered the low of minus 0.4 degrees Celsius against yesterday's minus 0.6 degrees Celsius, he said.

The minimum temperature in the south Kashmir town of Qazigund was minus 2.2 degrees Celsius - same as that of the previous night.

The official forecast mainly dry weather till November 20 but predicted light rainfall the next day.