Srinagar, Jan 13: Night temperatures plummeted across Kashmir Valley with mercury settling at minus 7.8°C in Srinagar, the lowest temperature of the season so far and the coldest January night in the past eight years, the officials said on Wednesday.

A meteorological department official said that previously the mercury had plummeted in Srinagar to minus 7.8°C on 14 January 2012, minus 8.3°C in 1995 and minus 11.8 in 1991 besides lowest ever on 31 January 1893.

Similarly, the minimum temperatures plummeted in other parts of the Valley, settling at minus 11.3°C in Pahalgam against minus 5.3°C on the previous night in the world-famous health resort. Qazigund, the gateway town of J&K, recorded a low of minus 9.3°C against 1.4°C on the previous night. Kokernag recorded a low of minus 9.9°C against minus 3.9°C on the earlier night.Against minus 1.8°C on the previous night in Kupwara, the mercury settled at minus 5.6°C in the north Kashmir district, the official said.

Gulmarg, the world-famous skiing resort, recorded a low of minus 10.0°C against minus 11.2°C on the earlier night, the official said.