The Valley continues to reel under a severe cold wave as the summer capital Srinagar on Thursday night recorded minus 6.4 degrees Celsius, making it the third coldest recorded night of the season. The sub-zero temperatures have led to freezing of water bodies including Dal Lake. Due to the chilling cold, water pipelines have been freezing causing huge inconvenience to people.
As per Meteorological department data, ski-resort Gulmarg recorded minus 9 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest recorded station in the Valley. Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded minus 7.8 degrees Celsius on Thursday night.
The mercury in Srinagar has plummeted below minus 6 degrees mark five times in the last month. The lowest recorded temperature was on December 18 when Srinagar recorded minus 6.6 degrees. On December 16, temperature in Srinagar touched minus 6.4 degrees Celsius.
Jammu which recorded 2.8 degrees Celsius on Wednesday night saw an improvement in temperatures and recorded 4.2 degrees on Thursday night. Leh recorded minus 17 degrees while Kargil recorded minus 17.4 degrees Celsius on Thursday night, said MeT data.
Drass froze at minus 26.8 degrees. Due to extremely slippery road conditions, authorities on Thursday had announced that Leh-Srinagar highway will remain closed till further orders.
The Valley is witnessing the 40-day harshest winter period of Chillai Kalan when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably. The chances of snowfall are maximum during this period and most areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive heavy snowfall.
MET PREDICTS SNOWFALL ON JANUARY 5:
The Meteorological Department has predicted a 2-day wet spell from January 4 with the main activity on January 5 . As per the latest forecast issued by the MeT, “a light to moderate spell of snowfall is likely at many places of the Valley during January 4 and 5”.
Director MeT Sonam Lotus said the weather was likely to remain dry and cold till January 3, after which inclement weather was likely between January 4 and 5.