People have a sigh of relief as sun was out on Wednesday though icy cold winds also continued in the Kashmir valley and Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh, where night will become more chilly during the next 48 hours.
However, world famous ski resort of Gulmarg freeze at minus 11 degree while majority water bodies remained frozen in Ladakh region, where border town of Kargil recorded minus 17 degree and Leh minus14.8 degree minimum temperature.
Weather will remain mainly dry over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Gilgit and Baltistan divisions in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), a Met department spokesman said today. He said there will be no significant change in the weather during subsequent 48 hours, including first day of New Year(2021).
However, a fresh Western Disturbance (WD) is arriving which could not on January 2, he said adding this would result in isolated rain till January 4 followed by widespread rain or snow on January 5.
People had a sigh of relief today after witnessing chilly Tuesday when the maximum temperature was 4.8 degree, which was 3.1 notches below normal in summer capital, Srinagar. Weather improved today and people could be seen basking in the sun in parks, gardens and other open places, which was unseen in the past during the 40-day-long Chilai Kalan, the severest period of winter which started from December 21st. However, the minimum temperature witnessed a dip though it was still normal.
Against yesterdays 0.0 degree, it was minus 2.1 degree today in Srinagar, Met spokesman said.
He said the sky would be mainly clear to partly cloudy and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 8 degree and minus 4 degree respectively in Srinagar during the next 24 hours. Due to clear sky night becomes colder and day warmer, he said adding cloudy sky means improvement in night temperature and drop in day mercury.
Famed ski resort of Gulmarg, about 55 km from here in north Kashmir, main attraction for tourists who are thronging there to celebrate New Year, was coldest at minus 11 degree, about five notches below normal. The maximum temperature there was minus 2.6 degree, 5.3 notches below normal. However, despite freezing temperature, tourists, skiers and other adventure lovers from different parts of the country and locals are arriving there to celebrate the New Year.
Pahalgam, a health resort in south Kashmir, was second coldest in the valley at minus 9 degree minimum temperature while maximum temperature on Tuesday was 1.2 degree.
He said the minimum temperature at Kokernag a tourist resort in south Kashmir recorded minus 6.5 degree, Kupwara minus 2.8 degree and Qazigund minus 2.5 degree.
He said people in Ladakh continued to freeze due to below freezing temperature. At Kargil the maximum temperature on Tuesday was minus 3.4 degree and minimum temperature today minus 17 degree. Leh recorded minus 4.3 degree maximum and 14.8 degree minimum temperature during the past 24 hours.
He said the sky would be mainly clear to generally cloudy and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around minus 3 degree and minus 15 degree respectively during the next 24 hours at Leh.
In POK Skardu recorded minus 6.4 degree, Gilgit minus 2 degree, Muzaffarabad 0.4 degree and Mirpur 2.8 degree, he said.