India’s coldest habitat, Drass, which is the gateway to Ladakh, recorded the lowest temperature, -29.2 degrees Celsius, on Wednesday followed by Padum where the temperature was -24.3 degrees Celsius.
The Union Territories (UTs) of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are currently witnessing severe cold waves because of frequent western disturbance this winter.
The entire Ladakh UT is going through freezing temperatures. The capital of Leh recorded -15.8 degrees Celsius while the cold in Kargil town was harsher with -21.5 degrees Celsius.
South Kashmir’s tourist spot, Pahalgam, with -11.7 degrees Celsius was the coldest place in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, followed by Gulmarg in north Kashmir where -11.3 degrees Celsius temperature was recorded.
Kashmir Valley’s gateway, Qazigund in south recorded -7.4 degrees Celsius, while north Kashmir’s Kupwara witnessed -6.2 degrees Celsius.
Jammu division’s Bhaderwah was reeling under the cold wave conditions with -1.4 degrees Celsius. Batote and Banihal recorded -0.5 and -0.3 degrees Celsius respectively.
Meanwhile, the Srinagar meteorological Centre has predicted two bouts of western disturbances. The first from 19 to 21 January would be feeble in J&K and Ladakh UTs with isolated to scattered snowfall. The second one between 22 and 24 January will be widespread with moderate to heavy snowfall in the two UTs.