Sajid Raina
Srinagar, Dec 16: Cold conditions intensified across Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Tuesday as minimum temperatures dropped sharply at most places, plunging several areas of the Kashmir Valley well below the freezing point compared to the previous day.
In the Kashmir region, Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, a sharp fall from 1.9 degrees Celsius recorded a day earlier. Qazigund settled at minus 2.2 degrees Celsius against 2.2 degrees Celsius on Monday, while Pahalgam recorded minus 2.6 degrees Celsius, down from 2.2 degrees Celsius.
Kupwara registered a minimum of minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, compared to 1.6 degrees Celsius previously, while Kokernag dropped to minus 0.6 degrees Celsius from 2.4 degrees Celsius.
Pampore and Pulwama were among the coldest places in the Valley, each recording minus 4.0 degrees Celsius. Shopian recorded minus 3.8 degrees Celsius, Anantnag minus 3.3 degrees Celsius and Baramulla minus 2.9 degrees Celsius.
Srinagar Airport recorded a minimum of minus 2.0 degrees Celsius, down from 1.4 degrees Celsius a day earlier, while Awantipora recorded minus 2.6 degrees Celsius. Gulmarg, which had recorded 1.0 degrees Celsius on Monday, settled at 0.5 degrees Celsius. Zojila Pass recorded an extreme low of minus 17.0 degrees Celsius.
In the Jammu region, temperatures also dipped, though remaining above freezing in most areas. Jammu city recorded a minimum of 8.4 degrees Celsius, down from 11.4 degrees Celsius the previous day.
Banihal recorded 1.7 degrees Celsius, while Bhaderwah dropped to 2.9 degrees Celsius. Rajouri recorded a minimum of 1.0 degrees Celsius, Udhampur 4.0 degrees Celsius and Ramban 4.6 degrees Celsius. Doda recorded 6.2 degrees Celsius.
Ladakh continued to experience severe cold, with Leh recording minus 4.8 degrees Celsius, compared to minus 1.8 degrees Celsius a day earlier. Kargil recorded minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, while Nubra Valley recorded minus 1.9 degrees Celsius.
Drass recorded minus 8.2 degrees Celsius, Padum minus 9.1 degrees Celsius and Nyoma recorded the lowest temperature in the region at minus 14.3 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, the IMD forecast said weather is likely to remain mainly dry over Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours and the subsequent two days.
From December 18 to 20, isolated light snowfall is likely at higher reaches of north and central Kashmir, while plains are expected to remain largely dry.
It said the weather is likely to remain partly to generally cloudy on December 20 and 21, with the possibility of light snowfall over the higher reaches of Kashmir division and light rain over scattered plain areas of Jammu, mainly from the late night of December 20 to the afternoon of December 21.
The weather department has advised that shallow to moderate fog is likely to continue at many places in Kashmir division and at isolated places in Jammu division.
It also cautioned that light snowfall combined with sub-freezing temperatures over higher reaches may lead to slippery road conditions during the late night of December 20 and the morning hours of December 21, advising travellers and transporters to follow traffic and administrative advisories.
