Srinagar, Dec 31 (GNS): Mercury plunged to season’s lowest in famous resorts of Pahalgam and Gulmarg, recording a low of minus 9.0°C and 8.0°C respectively, even as most other places saw a rise in minimum temperature on Saturday.

A meteorological department official here told GNS that Srinagar recorded a low of 0.4°C against last night’s minus 0.3°C. The temperature was 2.5°C above normal for the summer capital, the official said. Srinagar, which witnessed mist this morning, has so far seen the coldest temperature this season on December 25 when mercury plummeted to minus 5.8°C.

Qazigund recorded a low of 0.5°C against minus 2.0°C on the previous night. The temperature was 2.8°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.

Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 9.0°C against minus 4.9°C on the previous night. The minimum temperature was 3.8°C below normal and the coldest night recorded this season in the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, he said.

Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.6°C against minus 2.0°C on the previous night, he said. It was 2.1°C above normal for the place, he said.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 8.0°C against minus 5.5°C on the previous night, the official said. It was 1.8°C below normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the official said.

In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at minus 1.1°C against minus 0.8°C on the previous night in the north Kashmir area, he said. The official said that the temperature was 2.1°C above normal.

Jammu recorded a low of 6.1°C against 7.3°C on the previous night. It was 1.3°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital which also remained engulfed in fog this morning, he said.

Banihal recorded a low of 1.2°C (above normal by 0.5°C), Batote 1.4°C (below normal by 0.87°C), Katra 6.2°C (0.4°C below normal) and Bhadarwah 1.0°C (2.4°C above normal).

In Ladakh, Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 13.6°C and 10.2°C respectively, the official said.

Kashmir is under the grip of Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21. It does not mean an end to the winter either. It is followed by a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that occurs between January 30 and February 19 and a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1.

Regarding the forecast, the MeT official said that mainly dry weather was expected with a fall in minimum temperature across J&K till January 8. (GNS)