Srinagar, Dec 22: Bone-chilling weather continued in Kashmir as overnight temperatures remained several degrees below the freezing point in the Valley, the weatherman said on Tuesday.
Srinagar, where people endured second coldest night at minus 6.6 °C in a decade on Saturday last, recorded a low of minus 5.2°C against 4.0°C on precious night, a MeT official said.
The temperature also remained below normal overnight in other parts of the Valley with Gulmarg, the world famous skiing resort as well as Pahalgam, the famous tourist destination in south Kashmir, recording a low of minus 5.8°C. Qazigund recorded minus 4.6°C, Kupwara minus 2.4°C and Kokernag minus 3.6°C.
The 40-day Chillai-Kalan commenced on December 21 and ends on January 31. The period is considered the harshest of the winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum.
The cold wave, however, continues even after that in Kashmir with a 20-day-long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day-long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold). The weatherman has forecast mainly dry weather over Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh for next few days till December 27.
“The weather is going to be dry in next 24 hours,” the MeT official said, adding,” There would be widespread rain/snow in Kashmir and Jammu besides isolated rain and snow in ladakh from December 27.”
Due to harsh weather conditions, people are facing a lot of problems. The water supply has been disrupted with frozen taps becoming a common sight now. The frequent power cuts, scheduled or unscheduled, only amplify the cold and add to the discomfort of the people. Some portions of the Dal Lake were also frozen due to the cold wave.
