At -6.2°C, Srinagar records coldest night of season: MeT

The meteorological centre in Srinagar said the mercury in the city settled some 4.2 degrees below normal on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday

The summer capital Srinagar recorded its coldest night of the season so far, with the minimum temperature on Thursday night plummeting to -6.2°C, officials said on Friday. There are some chances of light snowfall in the mountains on Saturday night, which is expected to improve the minimum temperatures for next two days, weather office predicted.

Shikaras are anchored as a thin sheet of ice forms on the surface of the Dal Lake as temperature dips further in Srinagar on Friday. (ANI)

The meteorological centre in Srinagar said the mercury in the city settled some 4.2 degrees below normal on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.

“Srinagar shivered at record low temperature of -6.2°C, a day after equalling 2021’s minimum December temperature of -6°C,” a MeT official said.

In December 2020, the city had recorded a low of -6.6°C. The sub zero temperatures led to freezing of water bodies, water pipes and water taps in many parts of the city.

“The extreme cold is causing too many issues apart from the chill. I am now insulating the pipes and taps by covering them with foam coverings,” said Feroz Ahmad, a city resident. Most of this month, so far, has been by and large dry in the plains causing the extreme low temps during the nights.

All the weather monitoring stations in Kashmir witnessed below zero temperatures during the night. The coldest place recorded by the MeT was at Konibal in south Kashmir’s Pampore town where the mercury dropped to a bone chilling low of -9.2°C further down from -8.4°C on the previous night.

The southern hill resort of Pahalgam witnessed a minimum of -8.2°C. The gateway into Kashmir at Qazigund reported a low of -7.6°C, some 5.3°C notches below normal.

The MeT in an update said north Kashmir was equally cold with Kupwara witnessing a low of -6.2°C and -6.0°C, respectively. The MeT said Saturday will be cloudy with chances of snowfall over higher reaches during the night.

“The weather will be generally cloudy with very light snow over few higher reaches of North Kashmir during Saturday night and Sunday morning,” the MeT update said.

“Slight rise in minimum temperature by 2°C is expected during next two days and thereafter will again fall by 2-3°C till December 26,” it added.

Coming week will be generally dry except December 27 and 28, when there are chances of light rain and snow over higher reaches towards.

“On December 31, the weather would be generally cloudy with light snow at few higher reaches,” it said.

The Kashmir Valley’s mountains have received some bouts of light snowfall since November 11 but there has not been any major precipitation in plains or mountains so far. The month of November was also a rain deficit month.

Valley’s harshest 40-day winter period called Chillai Kalan will commence from Saturday.