SRI NAGAR: Srinagar recorded the coldest night of the season as severe cold conditions continued unabated in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Sunday, an official of the Met department said.

At a low of minus 26 degrees Celsius, Drass in Kargil district of Ladakh was the coldest recorded place, while the minimum temperature in Jammu fell two degrees below the season’s average to settle at 8 degrees Celsius, the official said.

The night temperature, however, is likely to improve in the coming days under the influence of Western Disturbance which is likely to hit the region on Wednesday, bringing another spell of snow and rains.
The residents of Srinagar woke up to dense fog and chilly conditions on Sunday with a further drop in the night temperature which was 3.4 degrees below normal during this part of the season, resulting in freezing of fringes of the famous Dal Lake as well as drinking water taps in different residential areas of the city.

This year the wintery conditions engulfed the region early following moderate to heavy snowfall — first of the season — on November 7.

Drass, the second coldest inhabited place in the world, recorded a minimum of minus 26 degrees Celsius against the previous night’s 25.4 degrees Celsius, while the nearby Leh town, also in Ladakh, was reeling at a minimum of 16 degrees Celsius, the official said.

Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir was the coldest recorded place in the Valley with a low of minus 6.3 degrees Celsius followed by the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir at minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, the official said.

Katra, which serves as the base camp for pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi Shrine in Reasi district of Jammu region, recorded a low of 8.2 degrees Celsius.

Flights cancelled for a second straight day
Flight operations at Srinagar airport remained suspended for the second consecutive day as all flights were cancelled on Sunday due to dense fog causing poor visibility in the Kashmir valley, officials said. “All flights at Srinagar airport were cancelled on Sunday and no flight operations took place,” an Airport Authority of India (AAI) official said.

The official said 28 flights, including those for the armed forces, were scheduled at the airport for Sunday. The airlines took the decision owing to very poor visibility, officials said.