Srinagar, Dec 27: Winter conditions intensified in Jammu and Kashmir today as temperatures dipped by a few degrees across the state, even as several places in the valley recorded minimum temperatures below the freezing point.
The Meteorological department has predicted further dip in the temperature on Monday with overcast conditions and possibility of rain and snow at different places.
Hundreds of people thronged Sunday market in city centre today and were seen buying buying Kangris (traditional fire pots), woollen garments and other items. “We have come all the way from Magam (central Kashmir) to buy sweaters and jackets as temperatures are decreasing with each passing day,” said a group of youth.
A vendor selling jackets said, “ My sale is much better than last Sunday.”
The administration claimed that it was fully prepared to tackle any eventuality. “Snow clearance machines have been deployed in the districts and snow control rooms have already been made functional in different districts across the Valley,” a senior official in the Divisional Commissioner’s office told Greater Kashmir.
He said that action plan had already been formulated to make sure that snowfall doesn’t paralyse life.
A top official of the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department said that there was ample stock of essential commodities in the Valley. “Even if the Srinagar- Jammu highway gets blocked due to snowfall there will be no shortage of commodities,” he claimed.
An official of the Meteorological department while giving the details of the temperature recorded at different places across the state said: Srinagar recorded a maximum of 7.2 degree Celsius as against 10 degrees yesterday.  Qazigund in south Kashmir which had recorded a maximum of 10.1 degrees yesterday, registered 4.7 degrees today. Pahalgam recorded 6.2 degrees as against yesterday’s 7.7. Similarly, Kupwara in north recorded a high of 6.2 against 10.8.
Jammu also registered a fall in temperatures with the city recording a high of 18.5, down by about three degrees to settle at 21.2 degrees. The maximum in other towns of Jammu:- Katra 17.5, Banihal 14.3, Bhaderwah 14 and Batote 13.
The night temperature in Banihal dipped to minus 1.1 degrees, while Jammu recorded a low of 6 followed by Katra 5.7, Batote 2.8 and Bhaderwah 0.4. In the valley, Pahalgam continued to be the coldest place with a low of minus 4.9 followed by Kupwara at minus 4.1, Qazigund minus 4, Srinagar minus 3.7 and Kokernag minus 3.6.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:00:00 IST