Cold wave intensifies in Kashmir, Gulmarg records minus 7.2 deg Celsius

cold wave intensified in Kashmir with minimum temperature dropping across valley to stay several tches below freezing point on Sunday. wear has remained dry and cold across Kashmir since swfall on December 12, with night temperature staying several degrees below freezing point, officials of Meteorological (MeT) Department said.

MeT office has forecast light rain or sw in Kashmir Valley over next three days. officials said Srinagar  summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5.2 degrees Celsius down from previous night's minus 3.7 degrees Celsius. y said mercury in Pahalgam tourist destination in south Kashmir settled at minus 5.9 degrees Celsius, up more than a tch compared to previous night's low of minus 4.5 degrees Celsius.

Gulmarg in rth Kashmir recorded a low of minus 7.2 degrees Celsius down from minus 6.5 degrees Celsius previous night, officials said. It was coldest recorded place in valley. Qazigund – gateway town to valley – recorded minimum of minus 5 degrees Celsius, while Kura in rth registered a low of minus 4.8 degrees Celsius and Kokernag, in south, minus 4.9 degrees Celsius, officials said.

Kashmir is currently under grip of 'Chillai-Kalan' -- 40-day harshest winter period when a cold wave grips region and temperature drops considerably leing to freezing of water bodies, including famous Dal Lake here as well as water supply lines in several parts of valley.

chances of swfall are most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas, especially in higher reaches, receive heavy swfall, officials said. While 'Chillai-Kalan' -- which began on December 21 -- will end on January 31, 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). 

(Im Credits: PTI)