Srinagar, March 6 -- Bone-chilling cold returned to Kashmir valley on Wednesday with most weather stations recording sub- zero temperatures, officials said.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) office in Srinagar, mercury dipped to -6.5 degrees Celsius in Gulmarg, which was the coldest place in the Valley.

In the southern tourist resort at Pahalgam, the mercury plunged to -5.6 degrees Celsius.

"The consecutive wet spells, heavy snowfall in last week of February and the rains on March 3, have brought down the temperatures in the region. The weather will now remain dry till the weekend and improve the rise accordingly," said an IMD official.

The weather office said below-normal minimum temperatures were recorded in the...