Temperatures dip in Kashmir, coldest night recorded in 16 years in some towns

Srinagar: The minimum temperatures nose-dived on Thursday night at several places in Kashmir with some towns recording the coldest night in past 16 years, officials said here on Friday.

Gulmarg skiing resort in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 12 degrees Celsius, a drop of more than four degrees compared to the previous night's minus 7.6 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a low of minus 11.9 degrees Celsius, a drop of 7.8 degrees from the previous night.

Kokernag and Qazigund towns in south Kashmir both recorded a low of minus 9.4 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 0.3 degrees Celsius.

While IMD Srinagar officials released data for only six major weather stations in the Valley, a private weather forecaster claimed that Larnoo in Kokernag was the coldest recorded place in Kashmir where the mercury plunged to minus 17.1 degrees Celsius followed by Sonamarg resort on Srinagar-Leh highway which recorded a low of minus 15.1 degrees Celsius.

"Records break as extreme cold wave hits south Kashmir, parts of Jammu region and Sonamarg. Larnoo in Kokernag coldest at -17.7 °C, followed by Sonamarg at -15.1 °C," private weather forecaster Faizan Arif posted on his X handle.

He said the temperature in Qazigund was the lowest in the past 16 years.

"Qazigund today's temperature = -9.4 °C. Previous Record = -12.2 °C on 13 Feb 2008. Summary = Lowest temperature in the last 16 years," he said in a related post.

Although 'Chilla-i-Kalan' - the 40-day harshest winter period - ended earlier this week, the cold wave has continued in Kashmir. The Valley is currently going through a 20-day-long 'Chilla-i-Khurd' (small cold) which shall be followed by a 10-day 'Chilla-i-Bachha' (baby cold).