Srinagar, Jan 13 (Reporter) Due to the prolonged dry spell, the maximum temperature shot up to 15 degrees Celsius in Srinagar on Saturday, making it the warmest January day in 14 years. The meteorological centre in Srinagar said on Saturday that Jammu and Kashmir were witnessing contrasting temperatures due to the prolonged dry spells. MeT director Mukhat Ahmad said the maximum temperature at many stations was recorded at 6–8 °C above normal. The highest maximum temperature of 20.8°C was recorded over Banihal station in Jammu, and Srinagar recorded 15°C, while Jammu recorded 8.9°C on Saturday, he said. The MeT director said the all-time highest maximum temperature during January for Srinagar was recorded at 17.2 °C on January 23, 1902. The temperature in Kashmir shot up on a day when north Kashmir’s Gurez received light snow during the night, and the minimum temperature rose above the freezing point across the valley. The MeT Director said the Gurez in Bandipora district received a few inches of snow due to the feeble western disturbances on Friday night. Srinagar city recorded a minimum temperature of +0.2 degrees Celsius on Friday night—four notches up from the previous night. The night temperature at the tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir was -0.6°C against -5.3°C on the previous night. The ski resort of Gulmarg in the north recorded a temperature of -1.2°C against minus 3.02°C on the previous night. Kashmir has been in the grip of severe cold due to the harshest 40-day winter period, "Chilla-i-Kalan,” that began on December 21. J&K has so far recorded deficit precipitation in December and January, with most of the plains without any major snowfall. This is after almost seven years that Kashmir is witnessing a snowless winter. MeT has predicted that dry weather will continue until January 23, with feeble western disturbances approaching on the 16th and 20th evenings. "Under the influence of these WDs, generally cloudy weather with light snow over isolated higher reaches is expected," the MeT Director said...////...