Srinagar/UNI: Srinagar experienced the coldest night of the season, with temperatures plummeting to -4.8°C on Monday as intense cold continues to sweep the Kashmir valley.

Relentless cold continues to prevail in the Kashmir valley, with the minimum temperature plummeting to -4.8°C in Srinagar against -4-4°C recorded the previous night. It was 4.2°C below normal for the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir during this period of the season, the Meteorological Office said.

The maximum temperature recorded at Srinagar was 0.6°C above the normal of 10.5°C recorded on the previous day.

The minimum temperature improved at Pahalgam and was recorded at -4.7°C on Monday against the -5.5°C recorded on Sunday. It was still 2.6°C below normal for the south Kashmir tourist hot spot.

Qazigund on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway witnessed a further dip in night temperature and was recorded at -3.4°C against the -3.0° recorded the previous night, while Kokernag had a low of 2.4°C against the -2.0°C recorded a day ago.

Gulmarg had a low of -3.6°C on Monday against the -4.2°C recorded on Sunday, and it was 0.1°C above normal for the famous ski resort of north Kashmir.

The mercury at Kupwara further plummeted and was recorded at -4.0°C against the -3.4°C recorded the previous night. It was 2.2°C below normal for the frontier north Kashmir district, the MeT office said.

The meteorological office forecasts the weather to remain dry on Monday, generally cloudy on December 12, and cloudy from December 13–16.

"Overall, there has been no significant weather activity, and it is likely to remain dry and cold till December 16," the MeT office said, adding that “the minimum temperature may see a further fall during the period."