A severe cold wave continued to grip Jammu and Kashmir on Friday as night temperatures plunged across the Valley and Ladakh, pushing several areas well below the freezing point.
According to data compiled by Kashmir Weather, Pulwama emerged as the coldest inhabited place in Kashmir, recording a low of minus 5.5 degrees Celsius. Shopian followed closely at minus 5 degrees Celsius.
Srinagar city recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3.6 degrees Celsius, while the outskirts were colder, with the airport area dipping to minus 4 degrees Celsius. Qazigund registered minus 2.8 degrees Celsius and Kokernag minus 0.7 degrees Celsius.
Popular tourist destinations also witnessed intense cold. Pahalgam and Anantnag recorded minus 4.6 degrees Celsius each, while Gulmarg settled at the freezing point.
In north Kashmir, Kupwara touched minus 3.6 degrees Celsius, Baramulla plunged to minus 4.7 degrees Celsius, and Zethan Rafiabad recorded minus 4.8 degrees Celsius. The Zojila Pass remained among the coldest locations, freezing at minus 18 degrees Celsius.
Elsewhere in the Valley, Budgam recorded minus 4.3 degrees Celsius, Pampore minus 3.5 degrees Celsius, Awantipora minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, and Bandipora minus 3.6 degrees Celsius. Sonamarg recorded minus 1.3 degrees Celsius, while Kulgam remained relatively milder at minus 0.6 degrees Celsius.
In the Jammu region, minimum temperatures were comparatively higher. Jammu city recorded 8.5 degrees Celsius and Katra 9.4 degrees Celsius. However, the upper reaches remained cold, with Udhampur at 2.8 degrees Celsius, Bhaderwah at 1.9 degrees Celsius, and Rajouri at 1.6 degrees Celsius. Ramban recorded 4.2 degrees Celsius, Samba 3.2 degrees Celsius, and Kathua 7.6 degrees Celsius.
Ladakh continued to reel under severe cold conditions, with Leh recording minus 7.8 degrees Celsius, Kargil minus 7 degrees Celsius, and the Nubra Valley minus 6.3 degrees Celsius.
Meteorologists said the cold wave is likely to persist in the coming days. While dry weather is expected to continue across most parts of the region, higher reaches may receive light snowfall, they said.
