J&K, Ladakh In Grip Of Severe Coldwave; Drass Records Coldest At Minus 30.2, Gulmarg At Minus 11

Due to intense cold, water pipes in most of the areas of the valley have frozen overnight, resulting in water shortages in many areas, with mountainous areas facing acute shortages, where small streams have also frozen.

Image: AFP/Tauseef Mustafa

Srinagar: Intense coldwave conditions have gripped Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with temperatures going record low after Christmas, and weathermen predicting a new spell of rain and snow in the new year . While Drass was the coldest place in the region with mercury plummeting to minus 30.2 Celsius, Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 11.2, the coldest this season. Leh town too is freezing at minus 18 degrees celsius. Due to intense cold, water pipes in most of the areas of the valley have frozen overnight, resulting in water shortages in many areas, with mountainous areas facing acute shortages, where small streams have also frozen. Kashmir is right now in the middle of the coldest 40 day period of winters, Chill-e-kalaan (Big Cold), starting from 21st December and will end on 31st January. During this period, mercury usually goes down many notches below freezing point, but this year, the coldwave and snowfall began early. "We had first snowfall on November 7, and second on 12th December, and in between, mountains received snowfall two more times, resulting in early setting of winters. So, the coldwave is on expected lines, says Mohammad Sidiq, 75-year-old local from Srinagar. Srinagar too is facing severe coldwave conditions, with mercury recording a low of minus 5, coldest night of the season. Highway town of Qazigund was freezing at minus 9.8 Celsius, and Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 12.7 C. Severe coldwave has affected road connectivity too, with slow traffic movement on Jammu-Srinagar Highway due to slippery conditions at Jawahar Tunnel, while Mughal Road, Srinagar- Leh highway along with Gurez and Karnah highways closed for traffic. However, air connectivity between Srinagar and the rest of the country is normal with good visibility reported at Srinagar International Airport. However, there has been a delay in the arrival of flights, due to foggy conditions at Delhi. According to MeT Department minimum temperatures dipped below the freezing point at most places of the Valley with  Srinagar recording the coldest night of the season so far, ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 11.2 degrees Celsius, as the coldest place in the Valley. Meanwhile, Meteorological Department Srinagar in a weeklong forecast this morning  predicted dry weather for six days till next week without any weather warning for the next four days. However, there will be a fresh spell of snowfall after new year, and will continue intermittently for the next 4 days.