Drass, Jan 7: As the whole valley is witnessing intense cold this winter, Drass- the 2nd coldest inhabited place of the world- is seeing less cold this year compared to past.
Temperature at this time last year was around minus 28 degree Celsius but this time around the temperature is around minus 23 degree Celsius. The snowfall also is only 6 inches whereas it used to be around 2 to 3 feet.

PTI ADDS FROM SRINAGAR:
Residents of Kashmir valley got respite from the intense cold conditions with the minimum temperature rising across the area, even as the weatherman forecast fresh spell of snowfall in the region.
Summer capital of the state, Srinagar, witnessed an increase of nearly three degrees from yesterday with minimum temperature settling at minus 2.2 degrees Celsius.
Gulmarg, the skiing resort in north Kashmir, was the coldest place in Valley recording a minimum of minus 6.5 degrees Celsius, the official said.
 Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, recorded almost similar temperatures as Gulmarg at minus 6.4 degrees Celsius.
 Mercury jumped by at least 5.5 degrees in Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir and settled at minus 4 degrees Celsius.
 Kokernag town in south Kashmir's Islamabad (Anantnag) district recorded minus 4.9 degrees C, an increase of three degrees.
 The skyline across Kashmir is covered by dense clouds, raising the prospect of fresh snowfall in the Valley, the MeT office said in its forecast, adding snowfall or rains are expected in a day or two.
 While Kashmir witnessed early snowfall of the winter in October, there was a two-month dry spell which ended with another snowfall on the New Year's eve.
 The lowest temperature in the Kashmir division was recorded in Kargil town where mercury settled at minus 10 degrees Celsius, an increase of six degrees from yesterday, a MeT Department official said.
 Leh town, where this week the minimum temperature had dipped to minus 23 degrees, also saw an improvement with the low settling at minus 9.8 degrees Celsius.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 Jan 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 Jan 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 8 Jan 2011 00:00:00 IST