Srinagar, Dec 23 - At minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, this Jammu and Kashmir city experienced the coldest night of the season so far with people Wednesday waking up to frozen taps and slippery icy roads.

"The minimum temperature was minus 3.4 degrees Celsius and Srinagar had its coldest night of the season," said director weather office Sonam Lotus.

Lotus said Leh and Kargil towns were freezing at minus 16.4 and minus 9.6 degrees Celsius respectively.

The Met department predicted no respite from the chill even as maximum temperature recorded in Sringar was a couple of notches above the normal during this period.

The night temperatures were likely to fall further during the next one week while there would be rise in the day temperatures because of clear skies across the Kashmir Valley, Lotus said.

"The day temperature is two to three degrees Celsius above normal, he said.

Water taps were frozen at most places in the Srinagar city and reports from other cities and towns of the valley indicated that people had a tough time lighting fires around the water taps to melt them down.

Slippery roads made traffic movement difficult in Srinagar.

"The roads were very slippery in the morning, especially at places where they were wet. I had a difficult time driving my daughter to a tuition centre," said Javaid Ahmad, 45, a businessman here. (IANS)