Minimum temperature decreases at most places in Kashmir; settles below freezing point

Srinagar, Jan 15 (PTI) Night temperature in most places of Kashmir settled below the freezing point across the Valley, even as the weather office has forecast a further dip in the minimum temperature over the next few days in view of dry weather, officials said on Sunday.

In the wake of dry weather after Friday’s snowfall, the minimum temperature at most places in the valley decreased on Saturday night, the officials said.

Srinagar recorded a low of minus 0.6 degrees Celsius on Saturday night half a degree down from the night before, they said.

Qazigund, the gateway to the Valley, registered a minimum temperature of minus 0.7 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 1.4 degrees Celsius.The minimum in Kupwara, a frontier district, settled at minus 1.3 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

Pahalgam in Anantnag district, which also serves as a base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, registered a low of minus 10.9 degrees Celsius — down five degrees Celsius from a night earlier.

The resort was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir.

The minimum temperature at the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in Baramulla district went slightly up to settle at minus 10.4 degrees Celsius from the previous night’s minus 11 degrees Celsius.

The meteorological office said the weather will remain mainly dry across J-K till January 18. There will be a further decrease in the night temperature till that time. Fresh western disturbances are likely to affect J-K from January 19 to 25. Light to moderate rain or snow is likely between January 23 and 24, it said.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day harshest weather period when the chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent. Chillai Kalan begins on December 21 and ends on January 30. The cold wave continues even after that with a 20-day-long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chillai Bachha’ following it.