Srinagar, Dec 31 (IANS): Dry weather and chilly conditions continued in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday as mercury recorded further drop in minimum temperatures across the Kashmir Valley, the Met Office said.

Leh in Ladakh region was coldest in the state and recorded a low of minus 16.3 degrees Celsius on Thursday, the coldest night temperature of the season there so far.

An official of the local meteorological office told IANS that dry weather will continue in the state for next two to three days.

He said there will be further drop of minimum temperatures in Kashmir Valley and the Ladakh region, mostly due to clear night sky and continued dry weather.

The mercury has plunged several degrees below the freezing point in most parts of the state over the past few weeks.

In Srinagar, people woke up to a cold and hazy morning.

"The minimum temperature in Srinagar city was minus 4.0 degrees on Thursday. It will be a partly sunny day ahead," the Met department official said.

The popular tourist destination of Gulmarg was coldest in the valley on Thursday at minus 7.6 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature dropped to minus 6.7 degrees Celsius in Pahalgam, a tourist resort in south Kashmir.

Mercury settled at minus 14.6 degrees Celsius in Kargil town and Leh shivered at minus 16.3 degrees Celsius.

In Jammu, the minimum overnight temperature was 6.4 degrees Celsius compared to Wednesday's minimum of 7.2 degrees Celsius. The Met Office has forecast a mainly clear sky along with haze.

In other places of the region, minimum temperatures was 9.1 degrees Celsius in Katra town, 3.2 degrees Celsius in Banihal, 4.1 degrees Celsius in Batote, 0.7 degrees Celsius in Udhampur, 0.5 degrees Celsius in Bhaderwah and 5.6 degrees Celsius in Kathua town.

"The maximum day temperatures in the Srinagar and Jammu city will hover around 11 degrees Celsius and 23 degrees Celsius respectively on Thursday," the weather official said.