Srinagar, 07 January (H.S.): Kashmir Valley was in the grip of a cold wave with most parts of the region recording sub-zero night temperatures, officials said on Wednesday.

The tourist resort of Sonamarg in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir as it shivered at a low of minus 10.1 degrees Celsius on Tuesday night, the officials said.

The night temperature in Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district improved by a degree to settle at a low of minus 7.6 degrees Celsius, they said.

Srinagar recorded a low of minus 1.6 degrees Celsius, up several degrees from minus 4 degrees Celsius on Monday night, they said.

In south Kashmir’s tourist resort of Pahalgam, the minimum settled at a low of minus 7.2 degrees Celsius. Qazigund, the gateway town of the valley, recorded a minimum temperature of 0.1 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

Kokernag recorded a low of minus 2.3 degrees Celsius and Kupwara minus 3.6 degrees Celsius.

The region is currently in the midst of ‘Chilla-e-Kalan’, a 40-day period of extreme cold, during which night temperatures often drop several degrees below the freezing point and chances of snowfall are the highest.

The plains of the valley have not received any snowfall so far this season.

The India Meteorological Department has said the weather is likely to remain dry but cloudy till January 20.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar