Srinagar

A severe Cold wave has hit the region of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh bringing the temperatures across the division to below freezing point. Srinagar city recorded the season's coldest night with minimum settling at minus 4.1 degrees Celsius.

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South Kashmir remains one of the coldest areas in the Kashmir division. The Larnoo area in the region recorded the lowest temperature in Kashmir Valley at minus 7 degrees. The tourist resort Pahalgam observed a minimum temperature of minus 6.5 degrees while the Shopian district saw the temperature settle at 6.6 degrees Celsius. The World-Famous Ski resort in North Kashmir's Baramulla district recorded a minimum temperature of minus 6 degrees. 

The tourist resort Sonamarg also recorded the season's minimum at minus 6.2 degrees. Pulwama saw  the minimum temperature settle at minus 6.3 degrees. Bandipora was at minus 4.6, while Baramulla recorded a minimum of minus 3.3 degrees. 

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The temperature recorded at Nyoma Village in Ladakh dropped to below minus 16.7 degrees. While the Dras area recorded the temperature at minus 14.8 degrees, the Leh town recorded the season's lowest at minus 10.4 degrees. The Zojila which connects Ladakh region to Jammu and Kashmir recorded the minimum temperature at minus 18 degrees. 

The MeT Department of Kashmir Valley has attributed the weather condition in the region to the La Nina effect which means cooler than average sea surface temperatures across the central and eastern Pacific. This weather change mostly impacts the wind circulation patterns leading to more rains and snow. The MeT department has predicted the winter period to prolong and be very harsh in terms of temperature as well as rain and snow. As we head towards the 'Chillai Kalan, which is the coldest period of 40 days starting December 21, the La Nina effect will multiply the impact of cold and precipitation in the Valley. 

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The Met Department has predicted generally dry weather from December 6 to December 7. There are chances of snow from December 8 to December 9. There will be some respite from the cold wave conditions December 15 onwards as rain and snow are predicted.