Thre was some respite for residents of Srinagar from intense cold as minimum temperatures rose at most places in Kashmir on Monday, officials said.
Srinagar city — the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir — recorded a low of minus 0.2 degrees Celsius – up from minus 2.6 degrees Celsius the previous night, the officials said. The minimum temperature in Gulmarg tourist resort settled at minus 9.6 degrees Celsius – down from minus 7.2 degrees Celsius the night earlier. Gulmarg was the coldest recorded place in the valley. Pahalgam tourist resort, which also serves as a base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 4.6 degrees Celsius, up from minus 5.9 degrees Celsius a night earlier. Qazigund recorded a minimum of 0.2 degrees Celsius, Kupwara, in the north, minus 1.0 degrees Celsius and Kokernag minus 2.0 degrees Celsius.
The weatherman has predicted generally dry weather over the next few days. Kashmir is currently under the grip of ”Chillai-Kalan” — the 40-day harshest winter period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies, including the famous Dal Lake here as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the valley. The chances of snowfall are the most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive heavy snowfall.
While ”Chillai-Kalan” – which began on December 21 — will end on January 31, the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir with a 20-day-long ”Chillai-Khurd” (small cold) and a 10-day-long ”Chillai-Bachha” (baby cold).
