| Night chill intensifies in Kashmir, another spell of snow likely from today | | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Dec 3: The night temperature dipped further and settled several degrees below freezing point due to open skies in Kashmir valley, where another spell of rain and snow is predicted from Friday onwards.
However, the maximum temperature remained above normal due to sunshine across the valley.
The border town of Leh in the Union Territory of Ladakh was the coldest place in the region at minus 8.4 degree, followed by Kargil with minus 4.6 degree.
A Met department spokesperson said that the weather will remain dry on Thursday, resulting in further dip in the minimum temperature. However, he said a fresh Western Disturbance (WD), which originated from the Arabian Sea and is approaching the region through Afghanistan and Pakistan, will hit the region on Friday evening.
He said under the influence of the WD, light snow is expected at isolated to scattered places of Kashmir and Zojila area of Ladakh from Friday evening onwards. "There is more than 70 per cent chance of fresh spell of light to moderate snow at many places of Kashmir, Drass and Zojila on December 7 and December 8," he said, adding this spell seems to be weaker than the previous once but could lead to temporary closure of Srinagar-Leh national highway.
People woke up to a chilly Thursday morning in the summer capital, Srinagar, where the night temperature dipped further and settled at minus 1.4 degree, which is 0.5 degree below normal. However, as the day progressed, there was some improvement in the day temperature as sun came out though the intensity of the heavy was very low. The maximum temperature recorded on Wednesday was 2 degree above normal. Auto-drivers and mechanics had burned wood early in the morning on roadsides to keep themselves warm in the city, where people are forced to use traditional means of heating due to frequent power cuts.
World famous health resort of Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south Kashmir, was the coldest place in Kashmir valley as the mercury during the night dipped over 1 degree from Wednesday and settled at minus 3.8 degree. The night temperature at the health resort, where the mountains are covered under several feet of snow, was slightly below normal.
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