Srinagar: Cold wave tightened its grip over Kashmir as the mercury plunged across the Valley and settled below the freezing point at most places, even as the weatherman predicted further drop in the minimum temperature.
Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 1.7 degrees Celsius, down by nearly two notches from previous night's zero degrees Celsius, an official of the Meteorological department said here.
The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir was the coldest recorded place in the Valley with a low of minus 8 degrees Celsius against the previous night's minus 7.2 degrees Celsius, the official said.
He said Pahalgam hill resort in south, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra during summer, recorded a low of minus 5.5 degrees Celsius.
The night temperature in Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir Valley, dropped from 1.6 degrees Celsius to settle at a low of 0.6 degrees Celsius, the official said.
The north Kashmir town of Kupwara recorded a low of minus 1.6 degree Celsius, the official said, adding Kokernag, in south, registered a low of 0.1 degrees Celsius. Leh, in Ladakh region, registered a low of minus 13.5 degrees Celsius - same as the previous night, the official said.
The nearby Kargil town was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir with the night temperature settling at minus 14 degrees Celsius against the previous night's minus 13.4 degrees Celsius, the official said. The official said the weather is likely to remain mainly dry over the week ahead and the night temperature may drop further in the Valley.
