Srinagar: Parts of the world famous Dal Lake near banks and interior areas were partially frozen this morning as summer capital, Srinagar, recorded coldest night of the seasons as the minimum temperature witnessed further drop and settled at minus 3.7 degree.
Barring famed ski resort of Gulmarg, where the night was relatively warm, minimum temperature elsewhere in the valley was below freezing point. Though sun appeared this morning but the intensity of heat was very low due to continued chilly winds in the valley, including Srinagar.
The weather will remain dry and cold during the next 24 hours in the Jammu and Kashmir, acting incharge of the Meteorological, Kashmir, told UNI.
He said a fresh moderate Western Disturbance (WD) is approaching which could hit the region on December 10 evening and will remain active during the subsequent 48 hours.
We are expecting light snow on upper reaches on December 10, he said adding on December 11 and 12 there could be snow on heights and rain in plains. However, from December 13 weather will again dry which could result in drop in the night temperature again.
He said for the past four or five years we are witnessing change in the weather in the region. Earlier we were receiving snowfall in the month of December and January, he said adding now we are experiencing snow in the month of February to April. This, he said, could be due to global change which is a cause of concern for everybody.
Major parts of the Dal Lake, particularly near banks and interior areas of the water body were frozen partially after the minimum temperature witnessed further drop and settled at minus 3.7 degree, four notches below normal. The sky was clear and weather was dry due to which the night temperature witnessed drop, he said.
However, the frozen parts started melting as the day progressed. But in the interior areas of the Lake, water remained frozen.
At some places water taps were also frozen affecting water supply particularly in the early morning.
A Met department spokesman said that Kupwara with minus 4.5 degree was coldest in the region. It was 3.4 notches below normal due to dry weather. However, the maximum temperature yesterday was 13.4 degree, which was four notches above normal.
World famous health resort of Pahalgam recorded minus 3.8 degree, a notch below normal. However, the maximum temperature yesterday was 13.8 degree, five notches above normal, he said.
Qazigund, gateway of Kashmir on Srinagar-Jammu national highway recorded minus 3 degree, three notches below normal while at Kokernag the minimum temperature was 2.5 degree, 2.5 degree below normal.
Interestingly at world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, which still awaits heavy snowfall this winter, the minimum temperature was 1.4 degree, about five notches above normal.