Cold conditions tightened its grip on Kashmir on Friday, with the minimum temperature dropping several degrees below the freezing point, making it the coldest night of the season in most parts of the valley, officials reported.
Night temperatures have dropped below freezing across Kashmir due to dry weather, they added.
Temperatures were recorded 1.2 to 3.2 degrees below normal for this part of the season, officials said.
Qazigund, the gateway town to the valley in south Kashmir, also registered its season’s lowest at minus 4.4 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Pahalgam, a popular tourist resort and base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, dipped to minus 6.5 degrees Celsius, the lowest so far this season.
Gulmarg, a famous ski resort, recorded minus 4.3 degrees Celsius, Kupwara minus 3.4 degrees Celsius and Kokarnag minus 2.4 degrees Celsius, officials said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast generally dry weather till Saturday and predicted further drop in night temperatures. According to the weather forecast division, the daytime temperature will be warmer.
Light rain is likely over some plains and hilly areas of Jammu division, and light rain or light snowfall at higher altitudes from December 8 to the morning of December 9, the IMD said.
Dry weather is expected from December 10-14, with light rain or light snowfall at isolated areas on December 15-16.