SRINAGAR: The Kashmir Valley witnessed a severe cold wave last night, with minimum temperatures dropping well below the freezing point at nearly all stations.
According to figures compiled by Kashmir Weather, the lowest temperature was recorded at Zojila Pass, where the mercury plummeted to –18.0°C. Gulmarg emerged as the coldest inhabited location, settling at –5.5°C.
Srinagar recorded a minimum of –1.9°C, while its outskirts, including Srinagar Airport, were even colder at –3.6°C. Several other key locations across the Valley also remained under intense cold conditions: Qazigund registered –1.6°C, Kokernag –1.8°C, Pampore –2.5°C, and Budgam –3.0°C. In south Kashmir, Anantnag and Bandipora recorded –2.6°C each, while Pulwama and Shopian dipped to –3.7°C and –4.3°C respectively.
Tourist destination Pahalgam logged –3.6°C, and Sonamarg –1.6°C. North Kashmir experienced a sharper decline, with Kupwara at –4.2°C, Baramulla at –4.5°C and Zethan Rafiabad at –4.8°C. Comparatively milder, though still sub-zero, temperatures were reported from Kulgam (–0.6°C) and Ganderbal (–0.9°C).
In the Jammu division, temperatures remained above freezing but significantly lower than average. Jammu city recorded 8.4°C, Katra 9.5°C, while Batote and Doda reported lows of 6.5°C each. Colder conditions prevailed in Samba, which dipped to 3.3°C, Rajouri to 2.0°C, and Bhaderwah to 0.8°C. Udhampur and Banihal settled at 4.8°C and 5.4°C respectively.
The cold desert region of Ladakh also saw biting temperatures. Leh recorded –5.5°C, Kargil –5.1°C, and Nubra Valley –2.5°C.
Meteorologists said the cold wave gripping Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh is expected to intensify in the coming days.
