Cold conditions persist in parts of India

Kashmir Valley was in the grip of a cold wave with most parts of the region recording sub-zero night temperatures, officials said on Wednesday (January 7, 2026).

The tourist resort of Sonamarg in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir as it shivered at a low of minus 10.1 degrees Celsius on Tuesday (January 6, 2026) night, the officials said.

The night temperature in Gulmarg in north Kashmir's Baramulla district improved by a degree to settle at a low of minus 7.6 degrees Celsius, they said.

Srinagar recorded a low of minus 1.6 degrees Celsius, up several degrees from minus 4 degrees Celsius on Monday (January 5, 2026) night, they said.

In south Kashmir's tourist resort of Pahalgam, the minimum settled at a low of minus 7.2 degrees Celsius. Qazigund, the gateway town of the valley, recorded a minimum temperature of 0.1 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

Kokernag recorded a low of minus 2.3 degrees Celsius and Kupwara minus 3.6 degrees Celsius.

The region is currently in the midst of 'Chilla-e-Kalan', a 40-day period of extreme cold, during which night temperatures often drop several degrees below the freezing point and chances of snowfall are the highest.

Biting cold at many places in Haryana, Punjab

Temperatures dropped to under 5 degrees Celsius in parts of Haryana and Punjab, the weather office said on Wednesday.

Narnaul with a low of 4 degrees Celsius was the coldest place in Haryana. Bhiwani also reeled under intense cold recording a low of 5 degrees Celsius.

According to the met department, Ambala recorded a minimum temperature of 8.4 degrees, Rohtak 8.8 degrees, Hisar 8.2 degrees and Karnal 8.4 degrees Celsius.

In Punjab, Bathinda was the coldest place in the State recording a low of 4.6 degrees Celsius.

Amritsar recorded a minimum temperature of 7.5 degrees, Ludhiana 6.6 degrees, Patiala 7.1 degrees while Gurdaspur recorded a minimum of 5.7 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperature of Chandigarh, the common capital of the two States, was recorded at 7.6 degrees Celsius.