Kashmir reels under severe cold; Leh records -18.8 deg C

Srinagar witnessed a freezing minus 4.9 deg C,which for the second time is the season's lowest temperature.

The cold wave sweeping Jammu and Kashmir broke the season’s record on the New Year night as the minimum temperature in Leh slipped nearly 19 degrees below freezing point.

Leh town in the remote Ladakh region recorded the season’s lowest temperature with the mercury settling at a low of minus 18.8 degree Celsius,a drop of 0.4 degrees from yesterday,an official of the MeT department said here.

In the adjoining Kargil town,the minimum temperature was recorded at minus 16 deg C,a one degree drop from yesterday,he said.

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Srinagar witnessed a freezing minus 4.9 deg C,which for the second time is the season’s lowest temperature here.

The drop in night temperature resulted in partial freezing of Dal lake and other stagnant water bodies.

There has been a drastic drop in temperature since ‘Chillai Kalan’,a forty-day period of extreme chilling weather,began on December 21.

The skiing resort of Gulmarg,a star attraction for tourists visiting the valley during winter,recorded a minimum temperature of minus 8 deg C,an increase of one degree compared the previous night,the official said.

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Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 7 deg C. The gateway town of Qazigund in south Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 5 deg C,while Kupwara town recorded a minimum of minus 4.7 deg C.

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