Biting cold grips Kashmir, mercury below freezing point in several areas

Mercury settled below the freezing point across Kashmir with most places in the valley registering below normal night temperatures, officials said on Tuesday.

The minimum temperature in Srinagar settled at minus 3.7°C on Monday night, a drop from minus 2.4° from the previous night, the officials said.

The night temperature in the city was 3.1° below the normal.

The gateway town to the valley, Qazigund, in south Kashmir, and the Kupwara town in north, recorded the low of minus 3.6°C each, while the minimum settled at minus 0.5°C in south Kashmir’s Kokernag, the officials said.

Pahalgam, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 4.8°C, they said.

Gulmarg logged minus 2.5°C and Pulwama town recorded minus 5.1°C —the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir, they said.

The meteorological department said the weather would remain generally dry over till December 12.

There is a possibility of light rain, or snow in isolated places in the higher reaches of Kashmir over few days from December 13.

The residents of Kashmir are preparing to face the 40-day harsh winter period which starts on December 21.