The meteorological department
has forecast dry weather at most places in Jammu and Kashmir till January 16.

A meteorological department official said that Kashmir Valley and Ladakh continued to reel under sub-zero temperatures with famous resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam recording a low of minus 10.6°C and minus 10.4°C respectively on Tuesday.

Except Srinagar, mercury dropped in entire Valley with the summer capital of J&K recording a low of 0.2°C same as on previous day.

Gulmarg, the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, recorded a drop by six notches as mercury settled at minus 10.6°C against previous night’s minus 10.0°C while Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 10.4°C against minus 2.5°C on previous night.

Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started from December 21 and is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 0.°C against 0.6°C on the previous night while
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 1.7°C, same as on the previous night.
The Kupwara town in north Kashmir, recorded a minimum of minus 3.0°C against minus 0.6 on the previous night, the official said.

Jammu recorded a low of 6.2°C against previous night’s 9.7°C which is minus 0.6°C below normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year and Banihal recorded a low of 0.2°C and Bhaderwah saw a minimum of minus 2.1°C, the official said.

Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 12.9°C against last night’s 9.5°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 11.3°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 24.2°C, almost three times lower than the last night’s minus 8.8°C, official said.