Srinagar temperature plunges to - 7.7 degree C; snowfall likely in Feb 1st week

Since December, the Valley has witnessed back to back snowfall and the entire Kashmir division was gripped in a cold wave with sub-zero temperatures freezing water bodies and portions of the Dal Lake.

The summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir witnessed another cold night as the night temperature in Srinagar further plunged to -7.7 degree Celsius on the intervening night of January 28 and 29, two notches below the minimum temperature recorded the previous night.

People walk across a footbridge as snowclad Zabarwan mountains are seen in the backdrop, after a heavy snowfall, in Srinagar, earlier this month. (File photo) (HT_PRINT)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted another spell of snowfall in Kashmir in the first week of February. Since December, the Valley has witnessed back to back snowfall and the entire Kashmir division was gripped in a cold wave with sub-zero temperatures freezing water bodies and portions of the Dal Lake. IMD officials, however, said the fresh Western Disturbance would be feeble and there was no prediction for heavy snowfall.

The night temperature in Srinagar had plunged to minus 7.7 degree Celsius, while the winter capital of Jammu recorded a night temperature of 7.4 degree C. Tourist and ski resort of Gulmarg witnessed minus 11.5 degree Celsius, while the minimum temperature in Pahalgam was recorded at minus 12 degree Celsius, according to IMD.

Regional meteorological department said that the weather will improve by the end of this month when Chillai Kalan – the harshest 40- day period of Kashmir winter – ends on a dry note. This year the harshest winter period witnessed two to three spells of snowfall, including the one on January 9, when four to five feet of snow was deposited in Kashmir, leading to the suspension of air and surface connectivity with the rest of the country.