Jammu colder than snow-clad Gulmarg as Kashmir plunges into an intense cold wave

Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a dramatic and unusual winter spell, with Jammu turning colder than the snow-covered resort of Gulmarg and Srinagar slipping deep into sub-zero territory, signalling the growing intensity of the cold wave sweeping the region.

Jammu city woke up to dense fog and biting cold on January 14 as temperatures plunged to 4 degrees Celsius — a massive departure from the normal seasonal average of around 17 degrees. The cold was so severe that even Gulmarg, one of the coldest destinations in the Valley, recorded a warmer 8.2 degrees Celsius, leaving Jammu colder than the snow-clad hill station.

In Kashmir, nights have turned brutally cold. Srinagar recorded a minimum of minus 5.2 degrees Celsius, while Qazigund dipped further to minus 5.3 degrees. Pahalgam in south Kashmir was the coldest, with the mercury crashing to a freezing minus 8.6 degrees Celsius.

The deep freeze has begun to visibly reshape the landscape. Portions of Dal Lake and several other water bodies have frozen, reflecting the intensity of the prolonged chill gripping the Valley. Yet, in a striking contrast, days remain unusually bright and mild. Srinagar recorded a sunny maximum of 13.3 degrees Celsius, even as temperatures continued to fall well below freezing after sunset.

Meteorologists have warned that the worst may still be ahead. A strong western disturbance is expected to hit Jammu and Kashmir next week, with the India Meteorological Department predicting snowfall across both the plains and the higher reaches — a development that could further tighten winter’s grip on the region.

Even as the cold wave tightened its hold, life and tradition endured. Jammu marked the festival of Lohri on Wednesday, with large bonfires lit across homes and public spaces, accompanied by traditional music and dance — a fiery celebration cutting through one of the harshest cold spells of the season.