Cold wave gripped Kashmir on Monday as the minimum temperature in the valley dipped below the freezing point with Srinagar recording its coldest winter night of the season at minus 1.2 degrees Celsius, 2.0 degrees below normal for this time of the year, an official of the Indian Meteorological Department said. The summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir recorded the minimum temperature of minus 0.8 degrees Celsius the preceding night -- 1.2 degrees below the normal temperature, the IMD said.
Visibility also took a hit in most parts of the city and commuters struggled during the morning due to the heavy fog. Flight services were also affected by the low visibility.
"The fog has delayed morning flights on Monday and Tuesday. The visibility remains poor in the early hours," an official of the Airport Authority of India told news agency PTI.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a minimum of 0.8°C against minus 0.4°C on the previous night, he said. The minimum temperature was minus 2.0°C below normal for the place, the official said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 2.9°C, below 1°C than the normal. Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum of minus 0.2°C which was below normal for the place by around minus 2°C, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 0.8°C which was 1.°C below normal, the official said. The official said that Gulmarg recorded a minimum of minus 0.6°C and was above 1°C normal for the world-famous skiing resort in north Kashmir.
Jammu, the winter capital of J&K, recorded a minimum of 11.2°C which was below normal by minus 1°C for the place, he said.
Till November 26, the weatherman has predicted generally dry weather with “occasional cloudiness on November 25.” He said no significant weather activity is expected until November 26. He said there will be “shallow fog with mist during morning and evening hours.”