At minus 5.2, Dal Lake freezes in Srinagar

SRINAGAR - It was biting cold across Kashmir Valley and Ladakh region Saturday with sub-zero temperatures freezing most water bodies, including Srinagar’s Dal Lake.

“The minimum temperature recorded in Srinagar was minus 5.2 degrees Celsius,” an official of the weather office told IANS.

Most parts of the Dal Lake had frozen in the morning except for those areas inside the lake where some hot spring activity takes place, keeping small pools of water warm and unfrozen.

“A group of migratory birds had gathered near the unfrozen bank of the lake in the morning when I went out for a walk. The lake now presents a mysterious spectacle with most it remaining shrouded in fog in the mornings and evenings,” said Firdous Ahmad, a 34-year-old resident of Nishat locality here.

But it was Leh that was the coldest in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Leh town was the coldest place in the state where the temperature dropped to minus 16.4 followed by Kargil with minus 11.6 and Pahalgam with minus 7.6 degrees,” the weather official said.

The winter ski resort of Gulmarg was also cold at minus 7 degrees Celsius, he added.

The official said the cold, dry conditions would continue in the Valley in the coming days and the temperatures were expected to dip further.

“We are expecting the same weather conditions for at least two days more. Due to clear night skies, the temperatures could fall further,” he added.