Significant improvement in minimum temperature at most places in Kashmir

Srinagar: There was a significant improvement in the minimum temperature at most places in Kashmir, providing some relief to the residents from the intense cold conditions, even as a thick layer of fog engulfed the valley, officials said on Monday.

The ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir was the only weather station in the valley where the minimum settled below the freezing point at minus 1.2 degree Celsius.

The officials said Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a minimum of 3.5 degrees Celsius – up from zero degree Celsius the previous night.

They said the minimum in Qazigund, the gateway town to the valley in south Kashmir, settled at 2.6 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag town registered a low of 2.8 degrees Celsius.

The officials said the tourist destination of Pahalgam in south Kashmir Anantnag district recorded a low of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The minimum in Kupwara town in north Kashmir settled at a low of minus 1.8 degrees Celsius.

A thick layer of fog engulfed the valley on Monday morning. However, there was not much of an impact on the air traffic at the Srinagar airport due to the fog.

The Met Office has said shallow to moderate fog is likely to continue till Tuesday at many places in Kashmir.

The weather is generally cloudy at most places of Jammu and Kashmir and it will likely remain such with light rain or snow at isolated places till Tuesday.

From Wednesday, there are chances of light to moderate rain or snow at fairly widespread places with the possibility of thunderstorms or lightning at a few places over two days.