Fog covers parts of Kashmir Valley; Pahalgam coldest at minus 3.5 degrees Celsius

A thin layer of fog engulfed several areas in Kashmir on Saturday as most places in the valley experienced sub-zero night temperature, even as the Srinagar city recorded the coldest night of the season, officials said.The Meteorological Department has said the weather is most likely to remain dry over the week ahead.

A thin layer of fog engulfed several areas in Kashmir on Saturday as most places in the valley experienced sub-zero night temperature, even as the Srinagar city recorded the coldest night of the season, officials said.

The Meteorological Department has said the weather is most likely to remain dry over the week ahead. Srinagar recorded a low of 0.1 degrees Celsius last night, which was the lowest minimum temperature recorded in the city this season, the officials said. Srinagar and Kokernag town in the south, which recorded a low of 0.4 degrees Celsius, were the only places in the valley where the mercury settled above the freezing point.

The officials said Pahalgam, which serves as the base camp for annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a low of minus 3.5 degrees Celsius. Pahalgam was the coldest recorded place in Kashmir.

Kupwara in north Kashmir also recorded sub-zero temperature as the mercury settled at minus 1.1 degrees Celsius.

Qazigund, the gateway town to the valley, recorded minus 1.0 degrees Celsius.

Gulmarg resort in north Kashmir Baramulla district recorded a minimum temperature of minus 2.0 degrees Celsius.

On Friday night, the minimum temperature across the Kashmir valley was a few degrees below the normal for this time of the season, the officials said. Kashmir Valley is slipping into wintry conditions much ahead of the beginning of extreme harsh weather conditions which usually start around the third week of December. 'Chillai Kalan', the 40-day period of harsh winter in Kashmir, begins on December 21 every year.

A thin layer of fog engulfed many areas of the valley on Saturday morning, while the sun played hide and seek with the clouds. A MeT Department official said the weather is most likely to remain dry till November 20.

A feeble Western Disturbance is likely to affect the region during November 21-23 which may cause light to moderate snow over the higher reaches, especially the northern parts of Kashmir, he said.

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