Srinagar: Cold conditions continued in Kashmir Valley and Ladakh, as the mercury plunged by a few notches, with dry conditions prevailing in the two Union Territories, making life miserable for the residents.
The Meteorological Department has issued a weather advisory, stating that a western disturbance is most likely to hit Jammu and Kashmir during December 5-7, causing widespread light to moderate snowfall and rains in the plains of Jammu. Some places on higher reaches (above 2000 m) may receive heavy snow of around 1-2 feet, whereas plains are likely to receive 2-3 inches of snow.
There is no forecast of heavy snow or rain in plains, the MeT office said and added that a temporary disruption of traffic over passes of Zojila, Sinthan Top, Razdan Top, Mughal Road would cause due to snow and freezing temperatures.
Cold wave conditions further intensified in Kashmir valley with a dip in night temperature as Srinagar recorded minus 1.1 degrees Celsius against minus 0.2 degrees on Sunday. Fog covered most of the places in the Valley, including the famous Dal Lake and Boulevard Road.
Ladakh was also in grip of intense cold as Air Force station of Drass recorded minus 11.2 degrees against minus 10.9 degrees a day ago, while Leh registered minus 11.8 degrees against minus 10.5 degrees and Kargil recorded minus 7.2 degrees against minus 6.2 degrees on Sunday.
The MeT office said the tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir remained the coldest place in Kashmir valley, where the minimum temperature further dipped to minus 3.4 degrees against the minus 3.0 degrees a day ago. Intense cold breeze conditions continue to prevail there with most of the small water bodies frozen due to the plunge in the night temperature.
The famous Ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir was the second coldest place in Kashmir valley with the minimum temperature recorded at minus 2.2 degrees against minus 1.5 degrees the previous day. Freezing cold conditions were covered with a thick fog, making the movement of tourists staying there difficult.
Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, where temperature was recorded at minus 1.3 degrees a day ago, on Monday plunged to minus 2.0 degrees, while Kokernag recorded minus 0.5 degrees against the minus 0.2 degrees the previous day.
In frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara, the minimum temperature was recorded as minus 1.6 degrees against the minus 1.4 degrees recorded the previous day, the MeT office said.
