Cold wave intensifies in Srinagar; Kargil records coldest temp

Srinagar, Feb 12: Cold wave intensified across Kashmir Valley and

division as mercury plummeted several notches below freezing point in most places with

town recording the coldest temperature at minus 21.8 degrees Celsius.

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, witnessed a drop of 2.5 degrees as the minimum temperature fell to minus 2.0 degrees Celsius last night, a MET department official said.

Mercury plunged by almost eight degrees in Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir, which serves as base camp during annual Amarnath yatra, to settle at minus 12.4 degrees Celsius compared to minus 3.7 degrees Celsius last night.

The minimum temperature in Kargil was minus 21.8 degrees Celsius last night, a slight increase from minus 23.4 degrees Celsius. The nearby Leh town recorded as low as minus 15.9 degrees Celsius, a drop of four degrees from previous nights 11.8 degrees Celsius.

The official said the mercury in Qazigund- the gateway town to Kashmir Valley – dipped by one degree to settle at minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, as against the previous night's minus 1.0 degrees Celsius. He said the minimum temperature in the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg settled at a low of minus 10.8 degrees Celsius as against last night's minus 9.8 degrees Celsius.

However, the day temperature in the Valley started improving as the sun shone brightly for second consecutive day this morning, following snow and rainfall yesterday.

PTI