Sajid Raina
Srinagar, Jan 13: Cold conditions intensified across Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh on Tuesday as minimum temperatures fell at most places, even as the weather remained largely dry and light rain or snow is forecast at scattered places from January 16.
In the Kashmir Valley, Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4.9 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, a sharp fall from minus 2.4 degrees Celsius recorded on Monday. Similar trends were observed across south and north Kashmir.
Qazigund in south Kashmir recorded minus 5.0 degrees Celsius, down from minus 3.6 degrees Celsius a day earlier, while Pahalgam saw the mercury plunge to minus 6.2 degrees Celsius from minus 3.4 degrees Celsius.
Pulwama continued to remain one of the coldest places in the Valley, recording minus 6.6 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, slightly lower than Monday’s minus 6.5 degrees Celsius.
Shopian recorded minus 6.3 degrees Celsius compared to minus 5.2 degrees Celsius a day earlier, while Kupwara recorded minus 5.8 degrees Celsius, down from minus 3.7 degrees Celsius.
In central Kashmir, Budgam recorded a minimum of minus 5.3 degrees Celsius against minus 2.6 degrees Celsius on Monday, while Ganderbal recorded minus 3.1 degrees Celsius compared to minus 1.4 degrees Celsius previously.
Srinagar airport also witnessed a significant dip, recording minus 5.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday against minus 3.4 degrees Celsius on Monday.
In the Jammu region, minimum temperatures showed mixed trends. Jammu city recorded a slight rise at 3.8 degrees Celsius compared to 3.4 degrees Celsius a day earlier, while Jammu airport recorded 5.6 degrees Celsius against 2.9 degrees Celsius.
However, Bhaderwah remained below freezing at minus 0.2 degrees Celsius, though marginally higher than Monday’s minus 1.2 degrees Celsius. Rajouri recorded 0.0 degrees Celsius, down from 0.8 degrees Celsius on Monday.
Ladakh continued to reel under severe cold conditions. Leh recorded minus 11.6 degrees Celsius, lower than Monday’s minus 10.8 degrees Celsius, while Kargil recorded minus 10.2 degrees Celsius, against minus 9.3 degrees Celsius.
Nubra Valley saw a sharp dip to minus 10.8 degrees Celsius from minus 8.4 degrees Celsius recorded a day earlier.
The Meteorological Centre Srinagar has forecast mainly dry weather till January 15, with clouds expected towards the evening of January 15. Light rain or snow is likely at scattered places during January 16 and 17, while light to moderate rain or snowfall is expected at scattered to fairly widespread places between January 19 and 24.
The MeT office has also advised that minimum temperatures are likely to rise gradually at many places from January 15 onwards, while moderate fog over the plains of Jammu division, with dense fog at isolated places, is likely to continue over the next three days.
