Dal Lake interiors freeze, Srinagar shivers at minus 5.4 degree Celsius

Srinagar : With mercury plummeting further across Kashmir, the interiors of Dal Lake froze on Thursday as Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir recorded the coldest night of season at minus 5.4 degree Celsius
Reports said a total of eight locations across Kashmir recorded the coldest night of season on Thursday.
As per the details, the other three main stations where the coldest night of season was recorded, include Qazigund, Kupwara and Pahalgam.
Qazigund, the gateway of Kashmir, also recorded a low of minus 3.8 degree Celsius. Pahalgam, a famous tourist place, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.8 degree Celsius while Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of 4.2 degree Celsius.
As per the data, Gulmarg, a famous ski-resort, has recorded a low of minus 5.0 degree Celsius while in Kokernag, a minimum temperature of minus 1.6 degree Celsius.
Furthermore, four Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) including Bandipora, Baramulla in north Kashmir, Budgam in Central and Anantnag in South Kashmir recorded the coldest night of the season.
In Bandipora, Baramulla and Budgam, mercury settled at minus 4.9 degree Celsius, 4.7 degree Celsius and 4.5 degree Celsius respectively while a minimum temperature of minus 5.0 degree Celsius was recorded in Anantnag district.
Moreover, the interiors of Dal Lake froze after the mercury plummeted in Srinagar.
Meanwhile, the weatherman here has predicted dry and cold weather conditions till December 24.
Pertinently, December 21 marks the beginning of the 40-day harshest winter period, known as Chilai-kalan will commence, which culminates on January 29 every year. Chillai-Kalan is followed by 20-day long Chillai Khurd.
Director Meteorological department, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad in a detailed forecast informed that the weather conditions are expected to remain mainly dry till December 15 while generally cloudy weather with possibility of light snow over extreme higher reaches is expected on December 17.
According to the MeT Director, the weather would remain mainly dry from December 17-December 24. “Overall, dry and cold weather would likely continue till 24th December over most places of J&K,” he said.
Furthermore, he said that shallow to moderate fog likely to continue at many places of Kashmir division