SRINAGAR, Dec 17 : Intense cold wave conditions prevailed over Kashmir today with minimum temperatures plummeting several degrees below freezing point as Srinagar settled at minus 5.3 degrees Celsius.
The cold wave conditions led to freezing of the fringes of several water bodies including the Dal lake.
Srinagar city recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.3 degrees Celsius, down from minus 3.4 degrees Celsius the previous night. The maximum temperature at Srinagar settled at 9.9 degrees Celsius which is 0.5 degrees Celsius above normal.
Gulmarg skiing resort recorded a low of minus 4 degrees Celsius, the same as the previous night. The maximum temperature at the ski resort settled at 6.5 degrees Celsius which is 1.7 degrees Celsius above normal.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 6.8 degrees Celsius, down from the previous night’s minus 5 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature of the tourist place was recorded 10.8 degrees Celsius which is 3.2 degrees Celsius above normal.
Konibal on the outskirts of Pampore town, was the coldest place in the Valley, with the mercury dipping to minus 8.5 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Qazigund was minus 6 degrees Celsius and the maximum settled at 10.2 degrees Celsius which was 0.4 degrees Celsius above normal.
Kupwara recorded a minimum of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius while the maximum was recorded at 10.3 degree Celsius which is 0.9 degrees Celsius above normal.
Kokernag recorded minus 5.7 degrees Celsius while the maximum temperature was recorded at 7.9 degree Celsius which is 0.4 degrees Celsius below normal.
The MeT office has forecast mainly dry weather until December 26, with the possibility of light snowfall in the higher reaches of the Valley on the night of December 21-22.
The water supply lines in many areas of the city and elsewhere in the Valley were frozen due to the freezing temperatures.
