With winter about to set in, snow, fog and winter rain is very much going to become a part of the lives of the people of north India. The region will remain under the influence of frequent Western Disturbances that will bring snow and rain in the hills, some times in the plains as well throughout the winter months. Here are some of the places which get most affected by this weather system:
Leh – Located in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, Leh is one of the coldest places in India with minimum temperatures remaining below freezing point for most parts of the winter season. Winters start in October and last till early March. The average minimum temperature in Leh during October is -1 degree. In November the average minimum temperature is -6.7 while in December it dips to an average of -11.8 degrees. January records -14.4 degrees on an average while the minimum in February hovers around -11 degrees. Very heavy snowfall occurs in Leh during December, January and February. March is the time when the minimums start to rise, bringing some reprieve from the frozen conditions.
Srinagar- The state capital of Jammu & Kashmir is also among the coldest places in India. Srinagar receives widespread snowfall during winters. Night temperatures in Srinagar dip to 1 degree in November, -1.6 in December, -2.1 in January and -0.2 degree in February on an average. As March approaches, weather in Srinagar gets better with rising temperatures. This is the time when tourists start flocking Jammu & Kashmir.
Shimla – The minimum temperatures in one of India's most renowned tourist destination is freezing cold during winter months from November to February. The average minimum temperature for November is 7 degrees while in December, the normal night temperature is 4.1 degrees. In January, the average minimum temperature remains around 1.9 while February witnesses an average night temperature of 2.7 degrees.
Amritsar – Amritsar, the state capital of Punjab is considered to be one of the coldest places in the plains. Night temperatures remain around 9 degrees during November but it drops to 4.6 degrees during December on an average. January is the coldest month for Amritsar when minimum temperatures remain at around 3.9 degrees. February brings relief from chilly mornings in Amritsar as minimum temperatures rise to 6.5 degrees on an average.
Dehradun – is another city where the minimums dip to become very cold. Nights in Dehradun during December, January and February are very cold as temperatures remain in single digits. Dehradun records 6.8 degrees as average minimum temperature in December. The average minimum temperature dips to 5.8 degrees in January while February sees a rise with temperature hovering around 7.9 degrees.
Photograph by Puja
