Which is the Coldest Place in India?

Answer: A. Dras

The coldest place in India is Daras. Dras is located in the Union Territory of Ladakh. During winter, its temperature goes as low as –45 °C. Occasionally, the temperature goes to –60 °C during extreme cold waves. Dras is situated at an altitude of about 3,300 m in the Kargil district. The town experiences long winters from mid-October to mid-May. The town has mild summers. This makes it a unique place of climate in India. This article explains why Dras is so cold, facts about Dras, and a fun maths challenge on the town.

Which is the Coldest Place in India?

The coldest place in India is Daras. Dras is so cold for many reasons. Some of these reasons are provided below:

1. The town is located at a high altitude of about 3,300 m above sea level. At this altitude, the air is thinner and holds less heat. It results in cold temperatures compared to lower regions.
2. The climate of this region is called Continental Mediterranean (Dsb). This means Dras has snowy winters and mild summers.
3. Moreover, the winters are long and stretch from mid‑October to mid‑May. The average temperature is –20 °C, and record lows are around –23 °C.
4. The Indian Meteorological Department has recorded about –45 °C as the lowest official temperature. On the contrary, the local official reports suggest that temperatures have gone down to about 60 °C in January 1995.

Quick Facts About Dras 

Which is the coldest place in India? The coldest place in India is Dras. These are some quick facts about Dras that you must know:

1. Dras gets about 550 mm of snowfall, mainly between December and May
2. The summer temperature in Dras is between June and September. The average high for summer is around 23 °C—an almost 68 °C swing from peak winter lows
3. The uninhabited areas in places like the Siachen Glacier have temperatures below -55 degrees.

Fun Maths Challenge

Question: If Dras averages –20 °C in winter and +23 °C in summer, what is the total temperature range it experiences?

Answer: 23 °C – (–20 °C) = 43 °C of variation!

In short, the coldest place in India is Dras. The town is cold due to its  high altitude.There are other cold places too. For example, Siachen Glacier, Sela Pass, and Lachen.

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