Leh freezes at minus 12.6, Kashmir Valley shivers

Srinagar, Dec 20: Leh town in Jammu and Kashmir's Ladakh region recorded the night temperature of minus 12.6 degrees Celsius, while the valley shivered as the mercury at many places to dipped several notches below the freezing point.

The minimum temperature was minus 0.3 degrees Celsius in Srinagar, an official of the Met Office said on Sunday,Dec 20.

It was minus 2.1 in Pahalgam and minus 7.8 in Gulmarg, while Kargil town in the Ladakh region recorded the minimum temperature of minus 9.0 degrees Celsius, the official said.

In the Jammu region, the minimum temperature was 5.6 degrees Celsius in Jammu city, 6.4 in Mata Vaishno Devi base camp town of Katra, 1.2 in Batote, minus 1.3 in Banihal and minus 1.0 in Bhaderwah town.

The 40-day long period of extreme cold in the valley called the 'Chillai Kalan' begins on Monday.

IANS