At minus 26 degrees, Drass records coldest night of season

Jammu, December 8 

Srinagar recorded the coldest night of the season as severe cold conditions continued unabated in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Sunday, an official of the MET department said. 

At a low of minus 26 degrees Celsius, Drass in Kargil district of Ladakh was the coldest recorded place, while the minimum temperature in Jammu fell two degrees below the season's average to settle at 8 degrees Celsius, the official said.

The night temperature, however, is likely to improve in the coming days under the influence of Western Disturbance which is likely to hit the region on Wednesday, bringing another spell of snow and rains.

The residents of Srinagar woke up to a dense fog and chilly conditions on Sunday with further drop in the night temperature which was 3.4 degrees below normal during this part of the season, resulting in freezing of fringes of the famous Dal Lake as well as drinking water taps in different residential areas of the city.

This year the wintery conditions engulfed the region early following moderate to heavy snowfall—first of the season—on November 7. 

Drass, the second coldest inhabited place in the world, recorded a minimum of minus 26 degrees Celsius against the previous night's 25.4 degrees Celsius, while the nearby Leh town, also in Ladakh, was reeling at a minimum of 16 degrees Celsius, the official said. 

Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir was the coldest recorded place in the valley with a low of minus 6.3 degrees Celsius followed by the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir at minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, the official said.

Katra, which serves as the base camp for pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi Shrine in Reasi district of Jammu region, recorded a low of 8.2 degrees Celsius, the official said adding Bhadarwah township of Doda district was, however, the coldest recorded place in the region with a minimum of 1.4 degrees Celsius.

Director of the Meteorological Department, Sonam Lotus said the night temperature is expected to improve from Monday night ahead of a fresh spell of widespread moderate snow or rain in plains of Jammu and Kashmir and Kargil district of Ladakh from December 11 to 13 with main activity on December 12.

However, there will be a dip in the day temperature during the wet spell which is also likely to impact surface and air transportation on Thursday in view of heavy to very heavy snowfall in higher reaches of Pirpanjal, Zojilla pass, Zanskar, Banihal top and Mughal road, he said. — PTI