Srinagar, CNS,16- Dec: Kashmir is observing sub-zero temperatures at many places as the weather department has predicted “moderate to heavy” snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir in next week.

There are currently reports about light snowfall in Gurez, Sonmarg, Zojila-Drass axis, said an official of the MeT office here.

“As on date, widespread moderate to heavy snowfall (at some places) is most likely during 23-25th December. We are in for a White X-Mas (Christmas ) in both J&K and Ladakh,” he said.

Meanwhile, intense cold conditions continued across J&K and Ladakh with world famous Gulmarg recording a low of minus 10.0°C.
The mercury in the world famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district was down by nearly two degrees Celsius from minus 8.6°C the previous night, the official said.

The minimum temperature in Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, settled at minus 2.1°C and against previous night’s minus 3.9°C which was the lowest temperature recorded this season.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had a low of minus 3.0°C against minus 4.2°C on the previous night, he said.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 6.9°C against minus 6.4°C on previous night.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.0°C against minus 3.9°C on previous night, the official said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 4.5°C against minus 3.8°C on the previous night, the official said.
Jammu, the J&K’s winter capital, saw a low of 5.9°C which is minus 3.3°C below normal, he said.

Ladakh’s Leh had a low of minus 15.0°C against last night’s minus 11.6°C while automatic Kargil station recorded minimum of minus 12.5°C. Drass in Kargil, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 19.2°C, the official said.(CNS)