Mercury Continues to Drop, IMD Predicts Snowy Christmas In Several Parts of India

Srinagar: The Union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh is in the midst of an extreme cold wave. It has been predicted that the cold wave is showing no signs to stop.

Mercury continued to drop in the Union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh on Saturday, 18 December.

Srinagar and Jammu witnessed this season's coldest night at minus 6 and 2.3 degrees Celsius respectively according to the meteorological department.

Kashmir meteorological department has forecast dry weather in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh till December 23.

An advisory of the meteorological department has predicted that this region will experience a further dip in temperature in the upcoming days.

If the weather forecast turns out to be true, then the locals will be treated to snowy Christmas. 

It is because there is a possibility of moderate snowfall in the upper reaches and light snow with rains in the plains of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

Usually, the cold wave starts by the third week of December but this year it got preponed. The extreme weather conditions began as early as December 5 when snowfall in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh led to the closure of border roads including Bandipora-Gurez road, Sinthan- Kishtwar road and Mughal road.

A few days ago, in South Kashmir, Qazigund's temperature plunged to minus 4.2°C. Pahalgam, the famous resort recorded minus 6.4°C while Kokernag recorded minus 3.9°C.

The world-famous skiing resort Gulmarg in North Kashmir topped the list recording the lowest mercury in J&K at a minimum of minus 8.6°C.

On the other hand, the temperature of Leh dipped as low as minus 11.6°C while Kargil recorded minus 10.1°C.

The lowest temperature in the country was recorded in the Drass area in Kargil at minus 15.2°C.

It is expected that Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh both will have a white Christmas as the chance of snowfall is at 60%.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has also predicted that several places in Assam, as well as other northeastern states, could face very heavy fog in the next few days.

"Dense fog in the morning hours in isolated pockets very likely over Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during December 19 and 20," the weather department in its bulletin said.

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