Srinagar.
Reuters photo
Srinagar: Kashmir continues to reel under a severe cold wave with Srinagar recording the coldest night of the season, as the temperature plummeted to minus 2.0 °C on Wednesday.
The mercury went down in Srinagar from the previous night’s minus 1.4°C to minus 2.0°C, a meteorological department official said. In other places of the valley too, the mercury was recorded at very low levels.
Pahalgam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, which serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath yatra, saw the mercury settling at minus 5.1 °C. Pahalgam was the coldest recorded place in Kashmir.
Mercury in north Kashmir’s ski-resort Gulmarg settled at minus 2.2 °C, the weather official said. The weather would remain partly to generally cloudy, but mainly dry till December 10 and there would be a fall in the night temperature by a few degrees.
Weather expert has predicted shallow to moderate fog in some places of Kashmir in the next few days.
To overcome the freezing temperatures, people were seen wrapped in traditional pherans (a loose upper garment loosely gathered at the sleeves) with their breath visible in the frigid air.
The markets, usually abuzz with activities, wear a deserted look as soon as it gets dark in the evening as shopkeepers close shutters amid biting cold. Even the Mughal gardens, renowned for their blooming beauty, have succumbed to the winter chill with petals replaced by frost.
With schools and colleges closed for winter vacations, the daily rhythm of life has slowed to a crawl. Yet amid the challenges, the cold wave has brought a unique enchantment to the valley. The snow-laden hills offer a canvas for winter sports enthusiasts, transforming the region into a heaven for skiing and snowboarding.