Srinagar Dec 30 PTI Cold wave conditions intensified across Kashmir as the minimum temperature at most places in the valley went down even as the Meteorological Department has forecast further fall in the temperature over the next few days officials said on ThursdayBarring Gulmarg the famous skiing resort in north Kashmir the minimum temperature at all other weather stations in the Kashmir valley went down on Wednesday night the officials saidThey said the resort recorded a low of minus 96 degrees Celsius up from minus 104 degrees the previous nightThe officials said Pahalgam which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra recorded a low of minus 89 degrees Celsius down from minus 66 degrees Celsius the previous nightThey said Srinagar recorded the minimum temperature of minus 4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday night down from the previous nights minus 23 degrees CelsiusThey said Qazigund the gateway town to the valley recorded the minimum of minus 42 degrees CelsiusThe nearby south Kashmir town of Kokernag recorded a low of minus 36 degrees CelsiusThe minimum temperature in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at a low of minus 44 degrees CelsiusThe MET Office has forecast further fall in the minimum temperature over the next few daysIt said there is possibility of light rainsnow at a few places mostly in higher reaches over two days from January 1 while as there is likelihood of widespread snowrain of moderate intensity during January 4 to 6Kashmir valley is currently under the grip of the 40-day harshest winter period known as Chilla-i-Kalan which began on December 21Chilla-i-Kalan is a period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies including the famous Dal Lake here as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the valleyThe chances of snowfall are the most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas especially in the higher reaches receive heavy to very heavy snowfallThe Chilla-i-Kalan will end on January 31 but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir with a 20-day-long Chillai-Khurd small cold and a 10-day-long Chillai-Bachha baby cold PTI SSB DV DV

New Delhi Dec 22 PTI Cold wave conditions abated slightly in Delhi on Wednesday with the slowing down of icy northwesterly winds under the influence of a Western Disturbance affecting northwest India The minimum temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory considered the official marker for the city settled at 44 degrees Celsius three notches below normal The maximum temperature settled at 238 degrees Celsius two notches more than the average temperature The observatory reported a cold wave on Monday and Tuesday logging a minimum temperature of 32 degrees Celsius and4 degrees Celsius respectively The weather stations at Palam Lodhi Road Ridge and Ayanagar recorded a minimum temperature of 76 degrees Celsius 42 degrees Celsius 67 degrees Celsius and 48 degrees Celsius respectively In the plains the IMD declares a cold wave if the minimum temperature dips to 4 degrees Celsius A cold wave is also declared when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below and is 45 notches below normal An official at the India Meteorological Department said the temperature is set to increase up to eight degrees Celsius by weekend under the influence of two back-to-back Western Disturbances in northwest India Light rain is likely on Saturday The national capitals air quality remained severe for the second day on the trot The 24-hour average AQI read 407 Air pollution levels in the national capital had entered the severe category on Tuesday and the 24-hour average AQI read 402 a day after the Centres air quality panel lifted the restrictions on construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR Weather experts said very poor to severe air quality is likely till December 27 PTI GVS HDA

New Delhi Dec 22 PTI Cold wave abated slightly in Delhi on Wednesday with the slowing down of icy northwesterly winds under the influence of a Western Disturbance affecting northwest IndiaThe minimum temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory considered the official marker for the city settled at 44 degrees CelsiusThe observatory reported cold wave on Monday and Tuesday logging a minimum temperature of 32 degrees Celsius and4 degrees Celsius respectivelyThe weather stations at Palam Lodhi Road Ridge and Ayanagar recorded minimum temperatures of 76 degrees Celsius 42 degrees Celsius 67 degrees Celsius and 48 degrees Celsius respectivelyIn the plains the IMD declares a cold wave if the minimum temperature dips to 4 degrees Celsius A cold wave is also declared when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below and is 45 notches below normalAn official at the India Meteorological Department said the temperature is set to increase up to eight degrees Celsius by the weekend under the influence of two back-to-back western disturbances in northwest IndiaThe capitals air quality index AQI read 399 at 9 amAir pollution levels in the national capital had entered the severe category on Tuesday and the 24-hour average AQI read 402 a day after the Centres air quality panel lifted the restrictions on construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCRWeather experts said very poor to severe air quality is likely till December 27 PTI GVS ANB ANB

Srinagar Dec 19 PTI Cold wave conditions continued in Kashmir as most places experienced the coldest night of the season so far with the weatherman forecasting further dip in mercury over the next few days officials said on Sunday The temperature on Sunday night was several degrees below the freezing point they said Srinagar recorded a low of minus 6 degrees Celsius on Sunday night same as the previous night which is the lowest minimum temperature of the season so far in the city The minimum was 45 degrees below the normal for this part of the season Gulmarg resort in north Kashmirs Baramulla district recorded a low of minus 75 degrees Celsius The officials said Pahalgam which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra recorded a low of minus 87 degrees Celsius The resort was the coldest recorded place in the valley The mercury in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at a low of minus 61 degrees Celsius Qazigund the gateway town to the valley recorded minus 65 degrees Celsius while Kokernag recorded a low of minus 6 degrees Celsius The cold wave conditions led to freezing of water supply lines in many areas of the valley as well as the fringes of several water bodies the officials said The weatherman has forecast colder nights over the next couple of days as a further fall in the minimum temperature is expected There is also a possibility of light to moderate snowfall from December 22-25 the officials said PTI SSB AAR

Srinagar Dec 17 PTI Cold wave conditions intensified in Kashmir as the minimum temperature settled several degrees below the freezing point across the valleyofficials said on Friday The weather office has forecast a further dip in the minimum temperature across the valley in the next few daysSrinagar recorded a low of minus 38 degrees Celsius on Thursday night down by 17 degrees from the previous nights minus 21 degrees Celsius This was the second coldest night of the season so far in the city which has witnessed a low of minus 39 degree Celsius 48 hours ago Gulmarg resort in north Kashmirs Baramulla district recorded a low of minus 86 degrees Celsius up from minus 10 degrees Celsius previous nightThe officials said Pahalgam which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra recorded a low of minus 56 degrees Celsius The south Kashmir resort had recorded minus 69 degrees Celsius the previous nightThe mercury in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at a low of minus 44 degrees CelsiusQazigund the gateway town to the valley recorded minus 32 degrees Celsius while Kokernag also recorded a low of minus 35 degrees CelsiusPTI MIJ DV DV