Srinagar, Dec 10: The Kashmir Valley continued to reel under a severe cold wave on Tuesday night, with minimum temperatures dropping well below the freezing point at most stations. Gulmarg remained the coldest inhabited location, recording –5.5°C, while the Zojila Pass witnessed the harshest conditions, with temperatures plunging to an extreme –18.0°C.
According to data compiled by Kashmir Weather, Srinagar registered a low of –1.9°C, while its outskirts, including the Srinagar Airport, were even colder at –3.6°C.
Elsewhere in the Valley, Qazigund recorded –1.6°C, Kokernag –1.8°C, Pampore –2.5°C, and Budgam –3.0°C.
In south Kashmir, Anantnag and Bandipora both noted lows of –2.6°C, while Pulwama dipped to –3.7°C and Shopian shivered at –4.3°C.
The tourist destination Pahalgam saw temperatures slide to –3.6°C, and Sonamarg recorded –1.6°C. Northern districts experienced a sharp chill, with Kupwara at –4.2°C, Baramulla –4.5°C, and Zethan Rafiabad –4.8°C.
Some pockets, including Kulgam (–0.6°C) and Ganderbal (–0.9°C), remained relatively less cold but still below freezing.
In contrast, the Jammu division saw comparatively milder conditions. Jammu city recorded 8.4°C, Katra 9.5°C, while Batote and Doda settled at 6.5°C each. Samba dipped to 3.3°C, Rajouri to 2.0°C, and Bhaderwah to 0.8°C. Udhampur and Banihal registered lows of 4.8°C and 5.4°C respectively.
The cold desert region of Ladakh also remained in the grip of intense cold, with Leh at –5.5°C, Kargil at –5.1°C, and Nubra Valley at –2.5°C.
Meteorologists warned that the cold wave across J&K and Ladakh is expected to tighten its grip further in the coming days, as no major weather system is forecast to offer any immediate respite.
