Srinagar: Warming up with hot water bottles or electric heaters last night probably proved more or less useless as temperature in Srinagar plunged to 4.2 degrees Celsius below zero. But the season’s coldest night so far just isn’t that cold. More than 83 years ago, on 13 December 1934, this summer capital of the state witnessed coldest night ever during last month of the year when mercury plunged to minus 12.8 degrees Celsius.
Last year, the coldest December night was recorded on December 21 when mercury plummeted to minus 6.5 degrees Celsius. In last decade, Srinagar saw the coldest December night on last day of the year in 2007 when mercury plunged to minus 7.2 Degrees Celsius.
A look at the coldest nights during the last few years during the final month of the year suggests that Srinagar on 21 December 2015 witnessed minus 5.6 C, same as on 27 December 2014, minus 5.3C on 30 December 2013, minus 4.0C on 23 December 2012, minus 4.9C (26 December 2011), minus 6.6C (27 December 2010), minus 4.9C (on 25 December 2009), and minus 3.4 on 4 December 2008.
Pahalgam in south Kashmir witnessed a low of minus 6.5 last night. The hill resort has witnessed coldest December night of last day of 1986 when mercury settled at minus 15.7C. In last decade, the coldest December night was 15th of 2017 when it recorded minus 10.1C.
Gulmarg in north Kashmir which was second coldest place in Valley after Pahalgam witnessed a minimum of minus 5.5C. The world famous ski-resort has witnessed coldest ever December night on 4th of 1968 when mercury plummeted to minus 18.0c. In last decade, the Gulmarg saw coldest night on 12.5 on 24 December 2012 when minimum temperature plunged to minus 12.5C.
