Cold Wave Persists Across J&K, Ladakh as Night Temperatures Stay Sub-Zero

Srinagar, Jan 10: There was no respite from the cold wave in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Friday as minimum temperatures dipped further in several areas of the two Union Territories, officials said.

In Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, the mercury settled at –5.7°C during the night, marginally higher than the season’s coldest –6.0°C recorded a night earlier. The intense cold has frozen parts of the famed Dal Lake, besides water bodies and water pipelines across the city. Despite the freezing nights, the day temperature in Srinagar touched 10.8°C, about 4.2 degrees above normal.

According to the Meteorological Department, Shopian in south Kashmir emerged as the coldest place in the Valley with a minimum temperature of –8.2°C, followed closely by Pulwama at –8.0°C. Tourist resort Pahalgam recorded –7.8°C, ski destination Gulmarg –6.8°C and Sonmarg –6.3°C.

Minimum temperatures remained below normal across most parts of the Union Territory. The MeT Department said night temperatures were 1–4°C below normal at many places in the Kashmir division and 1–3°C below normal at several locations in the Jammu division.

In the Jammu region, Jammu city recorded a low of 3.6°C, down from 5.6°C the previous night. Banihal registered –0.4°C, Katra 5.2°C, and Bhaderwah –2.8°C, slightly higher than the previous night’s –3.4°C.

Ladakh continued to reel under severe cold conditions, with Leh recording –14.4°C, Kargil –13.7°C and Nubra Valley –13.5°C. Drass, among the coldest inhabited places in the world, remained frozen at –24.6°C for the second consecutive night.

The Meteorological Department has forecast a prolonged spell of stable weather in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with no major disturbances expected over the next 10 days. A weak Western Disturbance during the last week of December had resulted in snowfall over higher reaches and tourist destinations such as Gulmarg, Sonmarg and Pahalgam.

Partly cloudy conditions are expected to prevail till January 15, followed by generally cloudy weather with light rain or snow over isolated higher reaches of the Kashmir division on January 16 and 17. Weather is likely to remain partly to generally cloudy on January 18 and 19, with light snowfall again expected over isolated higher reaches on January 20, while January 21 is forecast to be partly cloudy. (UNI)