Temperature Dips In North, Mercury Rises In Kashmir, Ladakh, Pahalgam
Srinagar, Dec 22: Delhi grappled with cold wave conditions as the minimum temperature on Wednesday recorded at 4.4 degree, three notches below the normal, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The weather office has forecast a mainly clear sky and becoming partly cloudy towards afternoon or evening.
“The minimum temperature on Wednesday is likely to settle at around 5 degree Celsius and the maximum could be 23 degree Celsius,” it said.
The weather stations at Palam, Lodhi Road, Ridge and Ayanagar recorded minimum temperatures of 7.6 degrees Celsius, 4.2 degrees Celsius, 6.7 degrees Celsius and 4.8 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality recorded a ` very poor` quality on Wednesday morning with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 378 as per India Meteorological department.
“The air quality over Delhi-NCT is likely to remain in the Very Poor category on December 22, 23 and 24 owing to slow/calm winds and poor ventilation conditions,” IMD said in its morning bulletin.
On the other hand barring Pahalgam and Qazigund, the minimum temperature recorded a further rise across Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh amid cloud cover on Wednesday.
A meteorological department official said that Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K recorded a low temperature of minus 1.8 degree Celsius against minus 2.8 degree Celsius the previous night. It was after several days that the mercury rose above normal of minus 2.0 degree Celsius during this time of the year.
“Due to a feeble Western Disturbance, weather is most likely to remain generally cloudy in both Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh with chances of light snowfall at scattered places of Kashmir over higher reaches and Kargil district, Zojila-Drass, Parkachik- Penzila and over hilly areas of Jammu region during December 23 and 24, MeT office said and added a snow spell of greater intensity is most likely during December 26 evening to 28 forenoon with the main activity on 27. There is no forecast of any major spell of snowfall in both Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in December, they added.
The tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir, recorded a temperature of minus 5.2 degree Celsius against minus 3.7 degree Celsius a day ago and was the coldest place in Kashmir valley. Similarly Qazigund also in south Kashmir had a low temperature of minus 3.0 degree Celsius against minus 2.6 degree Celsius on the previous night.
The mercury in the world famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district settled at minus 4.0 degree Celsius against minus 5.0 degree Celsius on the previous night, which was 1.8 degree Celsius above normal on Wednesday.
