Srinagar, Nov 20 (PTI) A thick layer of fog engulfed many parts of Kashmir on Saturday morning as the minimum temperature settled below the freezing point across the Valley, with Srinagar recording the coldest night of the season at minus 1.5 degrees Celsius, officials said.

The minimum temperature across the valley stayed below the freezing point Friday night and the mercury was two to three degrees below the normal for this part of the season, the MeT officials said.

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Srinagar recorded a low of minus 1.5 degrees Celsius -- down from minus 1.4 degrees Celsius on Thursday night, they said.

The officials said Pahalgam, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 4.3 degrees Celsius. Pahalgam was the coldest recorded place in Kashmir.

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Gulmarg resort in north Kashmir's Baramulla district recorded a minimum temperature of minus 1.0 degrees Celsius.

The mercury in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at a low of minus 2.7 degrees Celsius.

Qazigund, the gateway town to the valley, recorded minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag, in south Kashmir, registered a low of minus 1.3 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

A thick layer of fog engulfed many parts of the valley early in the morning, causing difficulties to motorists.

The MeT Office has said the fog/misty weather in the morning will continue for a few days as the weather will most likely remain dry till November 23.

Light snowfall is likely over extreme north Kashmir parts on November 24, it said.

The wintry conditions in Kashmir have set-in much ahead of the beginning of extreme harsh weather conditions which usually start around the third week of December. 'Chillai Kalan', the 40-day period of harsh winter in Kashmir, begins on December 21 every year.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)