Cold conditions intensify across Kashmir

Srinagar, Dec 24: Freezing weather conditions continued unabated as mercury saw a further drop in Jammu and Kashmir with Kupwara town and Bhaderwah recording this season’s coldest night while mercury settled at minus 5.4°C in Srinagar on Saturday.
A meteorological department official here said that the temperature in Srinagar dropped by 0.6°C against the previous night and was just a notch below 22 December’s minus 5.5°C which was the coldest of the season so far. Overall the mercury was 3.4°C below normal during this time of the year for the summer capital, the official said.
Qazigund recorded a low of minus 4.4°C against minus 4.6°C on the previous night. The temperature was 2.4°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 6.4°C, the same as on the previous night. Apart from being below normal by 1.4°C, it was remained the 2nd coldest night this season in the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 3.9°C against minus 2.8°C on the previous night, he said. It was 1.8°C below normal for the place, he said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 6.4°C against minus 5.5°C on the previous night, the official said. It was 0.6°C below normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the official said.
In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at minus 5.2°C against minus 5.1°C on the previous night, the official said. While being 2.6°C below normal, it was the coldest temperature recorded so far this winter in the north Kashmir area, he said.
Jammu recorded a low of 4.2°C against 6.3°C on the previous night. It was 4.0°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal recorded a low of minus 2.0°C ( below normal by 2.9°C), Batote 0.2 °C (2.5°C below normal), Katra 4.6°C (2.3°C below normal) and Bhadarwah minus 1.5°C, the season lowest so far and 1.0°C below normal).
In Ladakh, Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 13.0°C and 12.5°C respectively, the official said.
Kashmir is under Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21 is in its infancy, it does not mean an end to the winter. It is followed by a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that occurs between January 30 and February 19 and a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1.
“Mainly dry weather is expected till 25th December. From December 26-30th, generally cloudy weather is expected with intermittent light snow at isolated to scattered places on higher reaches of North, Northwestern and central Kashmir during 29 (Night) -30th,” he said, adding, “Slight improvement in minimum temperature and respite from cold and dry weather is expected from 26th to 31st December.” (GNS)