Sajid Raina
Srinagar, Jan 9: A severe cold wave continued to prevail across Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Friday, with several places recording a further drop in minimum temperatures compared to the previous day.
According to the details available, Srinagar, J&K’s winter capital, recorded a seasonal low of minus 6.0 degrees Celsius, down from minus 5.1 degrees a day earlier, while the minimum temperature at Srinagar airport fell to minus 7.4 degrees from minus 6.8 degrees
Qazigund, the gateway of Kashmir registered minus 6.2 degrees against Thursday’s minus 5.4, and Anantnag saw a dip to minus 7.1 degrees from minus 6.3 degrees.
South Kashmir’s Pulwama district recorded minus 7.5 degrees compared to minus 6.8 degrees a day earlier, while Kupwara settled at minus 5.8 degrees, down from minus 5.1 degrees.
North Kashmir’s famous winter tourism spot and ski destination Gulmarg, however, recorded a relatively higher minimum temperature of minus 7.2 degrees Celsius compared to minus 9.2 degrees the previous night.
In the Jammu region, night temperatures also dropped at several places. Jammu city recorded a minimum of 5.6 degrees Celsius, down from 7.1 degrees, while Banihal slipped below freezing at minus 0.9 degrees against 3.7 degrees on Thursday.
Udhampur recorded minus 1.0 degree compared to 2.0 degrees a day earlier, and Rajouri saw a slight fall to minus 1.7 degrees from minus 1.0 degree.
Ladakh continued to reel under extreme cold conditions.
Drass, the coldest place in the region, recorded minus 24.6 degrees Celsius, nearly unchanged from minus 24.7 degrees a day earlier.
Leh settled at minus 14.4 degrees compared to minus 14.6 degrees, while Nyoma saw a sharper dip to minus 21.6 degrees from minus 20.1 degrees.
Padum recorded minus 20.3 degrees against minus 17.2 degrees on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department said there is no significant weather activity expected across the region till January 21.
It forecast the possibility of light snowfall at isolated higher reaches on January 22 and 23.
Officials said minimum temperatures are likely to fall further till January 10 and then rise gradually by one to two degrees Celsius thereafter.
“Dense fog is also expected at a few places in the Jammu division over the next five days,” the MeT added.
