Kashmir reels under intense cold, Srinagar records coldest night of the season

Srinagar, Dec 25 (PTI) Kashmir reeled under cold conditions on Wednesday as valley recorded sub-zero temperatures with Srinagar experiencing coldest night of season so far, meteorological department said.

minimum temperature across Kashmir and Lakh remained several degrees below freezing point on Wednesday owing to clear sky, a MeT department official said.

He said Srinagar recorded coldest night of season so far as minimum temperature settled at minus 4.3 degrees Celsius last night – 0.3 degrees down from minus 4.0 degrees Celsius previous night, leing to freezing of water supply lines at several places.

ski-resort of Gulmarg in rth Kashmir recorded a low of minus 9.0 degrees Celsius last night – up from previous night's minus 10.2 degrees Celsius, he said.

night temperature at Pahalgam resort, which also serves as one of base camps for annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 11.4 degrees Celsius as against minus 10.4 degrees Celsius yesterday, he said.

Pahalgam, in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, was coldest recorded place in valley, he ded.

official said Qazigund – gateway town to valley - in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 9.4 degrees Celsius – a decrease of nearly two degrees from minus 7.8 degrees Celsius from previous night.

Kokernag town, also in south, recorded a low of minus 6.7 degrees Celsius, while Kura in rth, registered minimum of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, official said.

He said Leh town in Union Territory of Lakh recorded a low of minus 17.8 degrees Celsius – one degree down from minus 16.7 degrees Celsius on previous night.

MeT department has forecast mainly dry wear for week ahe. 

Kashmir is currently under grip of 'Chillai-Kalan' - 40-day harshest period of winter when chances of swfall are most frequent and maximum and temperature drops considerably.

'Chillai-Kalan' began on December 21 and ends on January 31, but cold wave continues even after that. 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day long 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold).