Kashmir reeled under intense cold wave conditions on Friday as the mercury stayed several degrees below the freezing point, resulting in the freezing of several water bodies including Dal Lake. Srinagar recorded a low of minus 7.6 degrees Celsius which is around five degrees below normal for this time of the year.The city had recorded a low of minus 8.4 degrees Celsius on Thursday, which was the lowest temperature in Srinagar since 1991. Srinagar had recorded minus 8.3 degrees Celsius in 1995. The temperature has fallen to minus 11.3 degrees Celsius in 1991.The lowest temperature ever recorded in Srinagar was minus 14.4 degrees Celsius in 1893. The rest of the valley was also reeling under intense cold.Pahalgam tourist resort, which also serves as a base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 8.6 degrees Celsius – up from the previous night’s minus 11.1 degrees Celsius.The minimum temperature in Gulmarg tourist resort settled at minus 5.5 degrees Celsius – up from minus 7.0 degrees Celsius the night earlier. Qazigund – the gateway town to the valley – recorded a minimum of 8.3 degrees Celsius.Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5.7 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag recorded minus 8.4 degrees Celsius. The surface of Dal Lake has frozen due to the bone chilling cold, prompting authorities to issue an advisory against walking on the ice.
