Srinagar, Jan 22: Cold conditions persisted in Kashmir even as minimum temperatures increased slightly across the Valley amid a forecast for fresh snowfall in the next few days, the weatherman said on Friday.
A meteorological department official said that Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 6.2°C, up from minus 7.0°C on the previous night.
The minimum temperatures have consistently remained far below normal this season. Last week, Srinagar witnessed the season’s coldest night which was the chilliest one in more than 25 years. In 1991, Srinagar witnessed a low of minus 11.8°C while the lowest ever temperature was recorded on 31 January 1893 when the mercury had plummeted to minus 14.4 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperatures continued to remain far below the normal in other parts of the Valley, settling at minus 7.0°C in Pahalgam, the world-famous health resort. It was up by more than two degrees from minus 9.3°C on the previous night.
Qazigund, the gateway town of J&K, recorded a low of minus 6.2°C against 8.8°C on the previous night. Kokernag recorded a low of minus 6.5°C against 6.9°C on the earlier night.
Against minus 5.9°C on the previous night in Kupwara, the mercury settled at minus 4.8 °C in the north Kashmir district, the official said.
Gulmarg, the world-famous skiing resort, recorded a low of minus 6.0°C against minus 7.8°C on the earlier night, the official said.
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). Already, Kashmir Valley received heavy snowfall earlier this month, disrupting normal life.
The weatherman has forecast scattered to widespread light to moderate rain, snow and thundershowers in J&K for the next few days.
