Srinagar, Dec 25: Weatherman on Saturday forecast “widespread moderate rain and snow in south Kashmir and Pirpanjal range from Bhadrwah to Gulmarg” on Sunday.
Also, in view of the overnight cold conditions, the temperature rose slightly across the Valley with mercury settling in Srinagar at minus 3.7°C against minus 4.3°C on previous night. The temperature is almost two degrees Celsius below the normal for this time of the year in Srinagar where people endured second coldest night at minus 6.6 °C in a decade on December 19.
The temperature also remained below or equal to normal overnight in other parts of the Valley with Gulmarg, the world famous skiing resort recording a low of minus 6.5 °C against 5.6 °C on precious night and was the coldest place in the Valley, a MeT official said. Pahalgam, the famous tourist destination in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 4.5°C against 5.9 °C on the previous night. Qazigund recorded a low of minus 4.0°C, Kupwara minus 3.6°C and Kokernag minus 4.o°C.
Kashmir is in the middle Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day winter period which 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 the “plains” of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in next 24 hours.
However for tomorrow, the weatherman has forecast: “widespread moderate rain and snow in south Kashmir and Pirpanjal range from Bhadrwah to Gulmarg”.
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.
