Weather Update: Gulmarg and Sonamarg Shiver as Sub-Zero Temperatures Grip the Valley

Srinagar 26 December :- The Kashmir Valley continues to grapple with an intense cold wave as temperatures remained significantly below the freezing point across most stations today.

Sonamarg emerged as one of the coldest inhabited places in the region, recording a low of -4.7°C, closely followed by the famous ski resort of Gulmarg at -4.5°C. In South Kashmir, the mercury dipped to -3.4°C in Pulwama and -1.6°C in Pahalgam, while the summer capital, Srinagar, managed to stay just above freezing at 0.2°C.

Other areas like Kupwara and Shopian also witnessed harsh conditions, recording -2.4°C and -2.5°C respectively, as a thin layer of frost covered much of the landscape during the early morning hours.

In contrast, the Jammu Division experienced relatively milder but still chilly conditions. Jammu city recorded a minimum of 10.0°C, while the Jammu Airport station was slightly warmer at 10.2°C. However, higher altitude areas within the province saw a sharp drop; Ramban recorded a near-freezing 0.1°C, and Bhaderwah chilled at 2.6°C.

Other key locations such as Katra and Kathua remained in the single to low-double digits, reflecting the typical winter gradient between the plains and the mountainous reaches of the Jammu region.The Union Territory of Ladakh remains the coldest zone in the country, with temperatures plummeting deep into the negatives.

Leh recorded a bone-chilling -9.8°C, while Kargil followed closely at -9.3°C. In the Nubra Valley, the mercury settled at -6.7°C, signaling the peak of the winter season where icy winds and frozen water bodies have become the norm for residents in the high-altitude desert.