Owais Gul
Srinagar, Dec 13: After an improvement in the minimum temperature, Kashmir Valley has once again witnessed the cold wave conditions Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir recording the coldest night of season at minus 5.3 degree Celsius.
Pertinently, Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 1.5 degree Celsius the previous night. However, the mercury plummeted again and thus the district was the coldest place in the valley.
The sub-zero temperature has been recorded across all the stations while Qazigund, the gateway of Kashmir, also recorded a low of minus 3.2 degree Celsius.
Gulmarg, a famous ski-resort, has recorded a low of minus 5.5 degree Celsius while Pahalgam, a famous tourist place, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.3 degree Celsius.
In Kupwara, the mercury settled at minus 3.7 degree Celsius while in Kokernag, a minimum temperature of minus 2.1 degree Celsius was recorded.
The night temperature has recorded a dip amidst the forecast of dry and cold weather conditions till December 22, which marks the beginning of 40-day harshest winter period, known as Chilai-kalan will commence, which culminates on January 29 every year. Chillai-Kalan is followed by 20-day long Chillai Khurd.
Director Meteorological department, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad in a detailed forecast informed that the weather conditions are expected to remain mainly dry till December 15 while generally cloudy weather with possibility of light snow over higher reaches is expected from December 16 and December 17.
According to the MeT Director, the weather would again remain mainly dry from December 18-December 22. “Overall, dry and cold weather would likely continue till 22nd December over most places of J&K,” he said.
Furthermore, he said that shallow to moderate fog likely to continue at many places of Kashmir division.
