Cold Wave Hits Kashmir And Ladakh, Temperatures Drop Below Freezing

Leh, the main town in the region, saw its lowest temperature of the season at minus 9.6°C. Even the Zojila Pass, which connects J&K with Ladakh recorded a very cold minus 18°C.

Kashmir and Ladakh are facing a strong cold wave, with temperatures in the area dropping well below freezing. As winter gets colder, both residents and tourists are feeling the effects of the chilly weather. In Kashmir, the temperature was minus 2.1°C in Srinagar, while the coldest area in the valley was Shopian at minus 5.5°C. Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in South Kashmir, felt very cold at minus 5.3°C.

In North Kashmir, Baramulla, known for its ski resorts, recorded minus 3.6°C, and Sonamarg, another famous tourist place, recorded minus 4.9°C. Ladakh is the worst hit by the freezing temperatures. The Nyoma village in Ladakh is the coldest place in the country at minus 18.3°C while the Dras area, often called the 'Gateway to Ladakh,' recorded minus 14°C.

Leh, the main town in the region, saw its lowest temperature of the season at minus 9.6°C. Even the Zojila Pass, which connects Jammu and Kashmir with Ladakh, recorded a very cold minus 18°C.

Bad weather is likely to prevail as the area is experiencing severely cold conditions, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a forecast of prolonged low temperatures along with further snowfall in the coming weeks.

Experts say that the La Niña effect is making this cold wave worse. This kind of weather event, which sees cooler-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, affects wind patterns and systems a lot. For Kashmir Valley, it means a long winter with more snowfall and rain than usual.

As the region gears up for *Chillai Kalan*, the coldest 40 days of winter, which start on December 21, the IMD said that the La Niña effect will strengthen the cold conditions and increase the rains.

The IMD has said that from December 5 to December 7, the weather will be mostly dry, though there is a slight chance of snow on December 8 and 9. After December 15, however, it will start feeling less cold as rain and snow are predicted to bring temporary relief.

People are gearing up for what is being seen as one of the most biting winters in years in Kashmir and Ladakh with temperatures dipping and further miserable weather anticipated.