Srinagar, Dec 30 (IANS): With temperatures dropping to minus 6.5 degrees Celsius, Srinagar recorded the coldest night of the season, the meteorological office said on Monday.

The hill station of Gulmarg recorded a night temperature of minus 7.8 degrees while as in Pahalgam the temperature was minus 10. 2 degrees.

Drass in the Union Territory of Ladakh was freezing as the mercury dipped to minus 28.8 degrees Celsius.

In Srinagar, the fringe of the Dal lake was frozen and the boatmen had to cut the ice to navigate their boats in the lake.

As cold wave tightened its grip over the valley, people were facing a lot of problems with the massive power cuts.

The Met Department has forecast that similar weather conditions will prevail in the valley for this week.

Meanwhile, the Jammu-Srinagar national highway was open for one-way traffic for the Jammu to Srinagar bound vehicles.

The snow has converted into sheets of ice on the road near the Banihal and other high lying areas along the national highway in Kashmir. Snow cutters were being used to cut the ice for smooth vehicular movement.

As per the Met office, rains are expected next week, which may bring some respite from the cold wave conditions in the valley.