Relentless cold wave, falling temp freezes Dal Lake, taps in Kashmir

Srinagar|Dec, 24 : The relentless cold wave gripping Kashmir Valley has plunged temperatures to extreme lows, severely affecting daily life and freezing taps and several water bodies, including parts of Dal Lake. In South Kashmir, the situation is particularly harsh, with temperatures in Shopian dropping to a frigid -8.8°C, Anantnag and Pulwama at -8.3°C, Kulgam at -6.7°C, and Konibal at -8.5°C.
These freezing conditions have caused water bodies, streams, and even drinking water taps to freeze, exacerbating challenges for residents. “Severe drop in night temperatures would be seen during the next week,” an independent weather forecaster, Faizan Arif, said. “Kashmir will be in the grip of a severe cold wave due to the absence of Western Disturbances. Clear and calm nights will allow the cold air to settle down during the night.’ The minimum temperature recorded at Srinagar during the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday plunged to -6.6°C against the -4.6°C on Sunday. This was 4.2°C below the average during this period of the season for the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
The icy temperature froze the major parts of Dal Lake and drinking water taps, making life miserable for the inhabitants in Srinagar. The tourist spot of Pahalgam remained the coldest place of the valley, with the night temperature further slipping down to -7.8°C against the -4.9°C recorded a day ago. This was 2.6°C below normal for the Valley of Shepherds in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district during the period. Qazigund recorded at -6.2°C against the -4.8°C recorded the previous night, and this was against the 3.8°C below the average for the gateway to the Kashmir Valley. The picnic spot of Kokernag in south Kashmir dipped to -6.4°C against the -4.0°C recorded a day ago, and this was 4.2°C below the average for the place. The ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district witnessed a significant fall and recorded at -7.4°C on Tuesday against the -4.8°C on Monday. This was still 1.4°C below normal for the Valley of Meadows during this period.
The night temperature at Kashmir’s frontier district of Kupwara also slipped down to -6.4°C against the -4.2°C recorded on Monday, and this was 3.4°C below normal for the border town during this period of season, the MeT office. The cold wave is likely to continue in the Kashmir Valley, the Meteorological Centre in Srinagar said. It said the weather will generally remain cloudy and dry till December 26. A feeble Western Disturbance (WD) is likely to hit and can cause light rain over the plains of Jammu and light snow over higher reaches of the Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal Range towards December 27 late afternoon to December 18 forenoon. The weather will remain dry hereafter till December 30, and another spell of light snow is expected at a few higher reaches in the Kashmir Valley at the end of the year, the Met office said. It said a slight rise in minimum temperature by 1-2°C is expected during the next 24 hours, and thereafter again a fall of 2-3°C is expected till December 26. From January 1 to 3, there is a possibility of light snow in isolated to scattered places over the Kashmir Valley, the Met office said.