Srinagar: The day temperatures across the Kashmir Valley nosedived amid fresh snowfall in most parts of the Valley on Wednesday.
A meteorological department official said Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, recorded a maximum of 1.0 degree Celsius, more than six degrees below normal for this time of the year. The capital city saw 5.4 mm of snow (when converted into rain)
The famous hill resort of Pahalgam recorded maximum of minus 1.6 degree Celsius and saw snowfall of 8.5mm.
Qazginund, the gateway town of Kashmir, saw maximum of 2.2 degrees Celsius while Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded maximum of 1.1 degrees Celsius.
The MeT official said the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir saw maximum of minus 2.4 degrees Celsius and it had snowfall of 15.2 mm during the day.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir registered maximum of 0.8 degrees Celsius, the official said.
“The (present weather) system is moving slowly towards east and morning will be very cold,” a weather official said. However, he said, tomorrow will be sunny.
He said another weather system was likely to hit the state and under its influence, another snow spell of stronger intensity was expected around January 19 to 23 peaking on January 22.
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).
