Cold conditions intensify in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 25 (PTI) Cold conditions intensified in Kashmir, with the minimum temperature dipping on Saturday and the Met office predicting mostly dry weather till the end of the month, officials said.

Night temperatures dropped further across the Kashmir valley as the cold tightened its grip, they said.

The minimum temperature in Srinagar settled at minus 4.1 degrees Celsius, compared to the previous night’s minus 3.3 degrees, the Met office said.

Pahalgam, one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 8.2 degrees Celsius against minus 7 degrees the night before.

The tourist resort town of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of minus 9 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperature was minus 4.4 degrees Celsius in Qazigund, minus 5.5 degrees at Konibal in Pampore town, minus 4.8 degrees in Kupwara, and minus 2.2 degrees in Kokernag.

Kashmir is currently in the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’ — the harshest period of winter. During the 40 days of ‘Chillai-Kalan’, which began on December 21, the chances of snowfall are the highest and the mercury drops considerably.

‘Chillai-Kalan’ ends on January 30, followed by a 20-day ‘Chillai-Khurd (small cold)’ and a 10-day ‘Chillai-Bachha (baby cold)’.

The Met office has forecast mainly dry weather for the remainder of ‘Chillai-Kalan’.

It said the weather was likely to remain cloudy but dry till Wednesday.

A fresh spell of light rain or snow at isolated places during Wednesday night or Thursday morning is possible, after which the weather will stay partly to generally cloudy till Friday, it said.

Overall, nothing significant is expected till January end, it added.

It also said there would be a gradual and significant rise in day temperatures during the subsequent five days while there was likelihood of a fall of 1-3 degrees in minimum temperatures.