Cold conditions return to J&K; Kargil coldest

Srinagar: Kargil continued to be the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir where the minimum temperature fell below the freezing point in most places including summer capital Srinagar, after a day's respite from the winter chill.

However, the sunny morning provided relief to the denizens with local Meteorological department predicting dry weather in the state over the next few days. The night temperature in Kargil registered a dip of over three degrees to settle at minus 18.4 degrees Celsius against Monday's minus 15.5 degrees Celsius, a spokesperson of the MeT department said.

She said the nearby town of Leh recorded a low of minus 13.7 degrees Celsius compared to minus 8.8 degrees Celsius the previous night. The minimum temperature recorded in Srinagar was minus one degree Celsius - a degree below normal during this part of the season, she said.

Srinagar recorded a low of 1.5 degrees Celsius yesterday, while the day temperature was 13.2 degrees Celsius - five degrees above normal. The spokesperson said Pahalgam hill resort in south, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, was the coldest recorded place in Kashmir with a minimum of minus 9 degrees Celsius, down by 2.6 degrees compared to the previous night.

The north Kashmir's famous ski resort of Gulmarg, the star attraction for tourists especially skiers from abroad, marked slight improvement in the night temperature which settled at minus 7.2 degrees Celsius compared to minus 7.8 degrees Celsius the previous night, she said.

She said the mercury in Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu national highway settled at a low of minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, compared to minus 2.6 degrees Celsius on Monday. Kupwara, in north Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, slightly up from minus 3.8 degree Celsius the previous night, the spokesperson said.

She said the mercury in Kokernag resort, in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 0.6 degree Celsius as against the previous night's minus 0.1 degree Celsius. The MeT department has predicted dry weather during the next 24 hours with no large change in the coming four days.