Winter tightens grip, Srinagar shivers at – 4.5°C

Srinagar: The drop in the overnight temperature in the Valley has strengthened winter’s grip over the region.Srinagar city shivered as the overnight temperature plummeted to – 4.5°C. The minimum temperature turned the night into one of the coldest of the season so far.The state Meteorological Department said the overnight temperature was over four degrees lower than the average minimum temperature for this time of the year. The average minimum temperature for this period is around – 1°C in Srinagar.The Weather Department said the mercury was likely to plunge to – 4-5°C in Srinagar and other parts of the region during the next few nights.The temperature across the Kashmir valley had registered a significant drop overnight with the Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir recording the coldest night in the region. The minimum temperature in Pahalgam was recorded at – 7.3°C, which was also four degrees below the expected, the Meteorological Department said. The overnight temperature in Gulmarg resort of north Kashmir was – 4.4°C.The long winter lasts for at least four months. Residents in the region here are battling frequent and erratic power cuts as the demand and supply ratio increases drastically during winter.The minimum temperature in the sparsely populated Ladakh region recorded a deep plunge as Leh town recorded – 13.6°C, normal temperature there for this time of the year. The minimum temperature in Leh town has dropped to – 25°C during the past winters. — TNS