Srinagar: There was no let up in cold wave conditions in Kashmir Valley with this summer capital of the state recording a low of minus 7.2 Degrees Celsius.
A Meteorological department official told INS that the while Srinagar saw increase in temperature by five notches from last night, the mercury hovered around coldest recorded temperatures in last three decades . such temperatures were recorded on 7 December 1990 when mercury plummeted to minus 8.8 degrees Celsius Srinagar.
The all-time low recorded in the month of December in Srinagar was minus 12.8 degrees Celsius on December 13, 1934.
The cold wave resulted in freezing of some water bodies, including the fringes of the famous Dal Lake here, and residential water supply pipes.
The Dal Lake was completely frozen in 1965 when a jeep had crossed on the frozen surface from one to another end. It was again frozen in 1986 when people were playing ice hockey and cricket besides taking photograph on the frozen surface. The official said Qazigund the gateway town to the Valley recorded a low of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, while the nearby Kokernag registered a low of minus 5.8 against previous night’s minus 5.5 degrees Celsius.
The night temperature in Pahalgam, also in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 8.3 degrees Celsius on preceding night and was coldest place in the Valley, the official said.
The ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded the minimum temperature of minus 7.0 degrees Celsius on previous night, he said.
Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 6.0 degrees Celsius on previous night, he said.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’ the 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably.
‘Chillai-Kalan’ ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir.
The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold).
