Srinagar: Ahead of New Year celebrations, the night temperatures have plummeted across famed tourist destinations.
Gulmarg recorded a freezing low of -10.0°C, Pahalgam -9.2°C, and Sonamarg registered -9.9°C on Monday, officials reported.
The Meteorological Centre in Srinagar said that two Western Disturbances (WD) are expected to impact Jammu and Kashmir in quick succession. These disturbances are likely to bring light snowfall to scattered areas during the evening of January 1 and into the morning of January 2.
It said a moderate WD will strike during January 3 to 6 and can bring light to moderate snow at many places of Kashmir division and scattered places of Jammu division.
“The cold wave conditions will continue to prevail over the Kashmir valley till end of the year”, the MeT office said.
The MeT office has also issued an advisory stating that in view of snowfall, sub- freezing temperature and icy conditions over roads including plains/higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir, Tourists/travellers/Transporters are advised to follow Admin/Traffic advisory.
There is no let-up in icy cold weather conditions in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir valley that have frozen major water bodies disrupting normal life.
The minimum temperature recorded during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday at Gulmarg significantly dropped to -10.0°C against the -8.5°C a day ago. This was 4.1°C below the average for the ski resort in north Kashmir during this period of the season.
The day temperature at Gulmarg recorded on Sunday at -2.0°C which was 5.3°C below normal.
Tourist spot of Pahalgam had a low of -9.2°C against the -8.0°C the previous night and this was 6.0°C below normal for the valley of shepherds in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Monday.
The picturesque Sonamarg in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal dipped to -9.9°C ahead of the new year celebrations.
Srinagar recorded at -0.9°C against the -0.2°C recorded a day ago. This was 1.7°C above average for the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir during this period of season.
Picnic spot of Kokernag dipped to -2.4°C against the -1.8°C a day ago and it was 0.6°C above normal for the south Kashmir destination.
Qazigund had a low of -2.8°C against the -0.4°C on Sunday. This was 0.1°C below normal for the gateway to Kashmir on Srinagar-Jammu National highway in South Kashmir.
The night temperature at the frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara in north Kashmir also improved and recorded at 0.1°C against the -1.0°C against the -1.2°C the previous night and this was 3.1°C above normal for the place during this period of the season, the MeT office said.
