SRINAGAR: Kashmir shivered at -8.8°C after the mercury dipped to such a low in three decades on Saturday night when the minimum temperature had plunged to -11°C in 1991, according to the meteorological department.
The day temperature was recorded below zero degrees Celsius on Sunday. Inclement weather conditions threw life out of gear as drinking water supply froze due to severe cold.
The minimum temperature was recorded at -12°C in Pahalgam and -8°C in Gulmarg. Ladakh’s Leh town recorded -16.6°C, Kargil -17.4°C and Drass -26.2°C. Jammu city was at 5.8°C, Katra 5.4°C, Batote 1.1°C and Bhaderwah at -1.5°C.
A Met official said there will be a perceptible improvement in night temperatures in both J&K and Ladakh with the harshest 40-day chill period, known as Chillai Kalan, coming to an end soon.
To effectively beat the chill, residents used traditional kangris and pheran (loose robes) while those affluent went into the Hamam — a small room carved out in the house with a floor of stone slabs that emits heat by burning wood underneath the room — to make themselves comfortable. The cold wave significantly reduced traffic.
The inflow of domestic tourists, meanwhile, has increased this winter season especially in the ski destination of Gulmarg. All hotels and resorts are fully booked for February as well, said Altaf Ahmed, a hotelier.