Relief from intense cold in Kashmir

Srinagar, Feb 15: There was some relief from intense cold for the residents of Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir today as the minimum temperatures rose to stay above the freezing point - a day before there are chances of widespread rainfall and snow.

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low of 0.6 degree Celsius, up by nearly a degree from minus 0.2 degree Celsius the previous night, a MeT Department spokesman said.

The night temperature in the city stayed above the freezing point for the first time in the last six days, he said. Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu national highway recorded a low of zero degree Celsius as against minus 0.6 degree Celsius the previous night, the spokesman said.

He said Kokernag, in south Kashmir, registered the minimum temperature of 2.4 degrees Celsius, an increase of over one degree from the previous night's 1 degree Celsius.

The mercury in Kupwara, in north Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 1.7 degrees Celsius, over a degree up from minus 2.8 degrees Celsius the previous night, the spokesman said.

North Kashmir's famous ski-resort of Gulmarg, the star attraction for tourists especially skiers from abroad, recorded a low of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius compared to minus 2.6 degrees Celsius yesterday, he said.

He said the mercury in Pahalgam hill resort in south, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, settled at minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, a drop of two degrees from the previous night's minus 2.2 degrees Celsius.

Leh, the frontier town in Ladakh region, recorded a low of minus 9.9 degrees Celsius, down by over seven degrees from minus 2.6 degrees Celsius the previous night, the spokesman said.

He said the nearby Kargil town continued to be the coldest recorded place in the state as the minimum temperature there settled at minus 14.8 degrees Celsius, compared to minus 15.0 degrees Celsius the previous night.

The MeT Department said the state is set for a spell of wet weather as there are chances of widespread rainfall or snowfall from tomorrow.

PTI