Cold wave conditions prevailed in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir with Srinagar”s maximum temperature settling at 3.4 degrees Celsius– 14.5 degrees below normal during this part of the season, a MET department official said. Jammu, the winter capital of the Union Territory, also recorded a drop of 4.7 degrees in the day temperature which settled at 23.5 degrees Celsius, the official said. The famous ski resort of Gulmarg, which recorded several feet of snowfall last week, was the hottest in the valley with a maximum temperature of 8.4 degrees Celsius. However, Gulmarg”s minimum temperature was minus 4.8 degrees Celsius- the lowest in the valley. The hill resort of Pahalgam, border town of Kupwara and south Kashmir township of Kokernag also recorded sub-zero night temperature of minus 1.3, minus 1.6 and minus 0.9 degrees celsius, respectively, the official said. He said the maximum and minimum temperatures in most parts of Jammu region also stayed several degrees below normal. The night temperature recorded in Jammu was 12.8 degrees Celsius, which was 1.4 notches below normal. Katra, the famous town which serves as the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district, recorded a high of 21.3 degrees Celsius and a low of 11.2 degrees Celsius which was 3.8 and 0.6 degrees below normal during this part of the season.
