Srinagar
Intense cold wave continued across Kashmir Valley on Monday as minimum temperature dropped to minus 2.4 degrees Celsius in Srinagar city with no immediate relief in sight from the biting cold. An intense dry cold wave has caused widespread flu and cold-related chest ailments in the valley, as doctors have issued advisories asking people not to expose themselves to severe dry cold.
The air quality index (AQI) has worsened due to the lack of precipitation and continuing addition to suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the air.
It is very important that we don’t expose ourselves, especially elders and children, to the abrupt cold outside homes. The number of patients reporting with flu and other chest-related ailments triggered by dry cold has actually more than doubled during the last week, senior pulmonologist, Dr Naveed Nazir Shah said.
Night temperature remained several notches below the freezing point in other parts of the Valley as well on Monday. The Meteorological (MeT) Department officials said the minimum temperature was minus 2.4 degrees Celsius in Srinagar city, while it was minus 0.4 in Pahalgam and minus 2.5 in Gulmarg.
Jammu city had 7.9, Katra town 9.6, Batote 5.8, Banihal 4.5 and Bhaderwah 2.6 degrees as the minimum temperature. Except for a feeble western disturbance (WD) causing light snowfall in the higher reaches, there is little possibility of any major weather activity in J&K till December 15, the MeT department officials said.
Given the prevailing weather conditions, the minimum temperature is likely to drop further in the coming days, the MeT department officials added.
