Srinagar, Jan 24: Barring Gulmarg and Pahalgam, the minimum temperatures rose across Kashmir Valley with the mercury settling above normal for this time of the year for the second night in a row in Srinagar, the weatherman said on Sunday.
A meteorological department official said that Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, recorded a low of minus 1.9°C against minus 2.0°C on the previous night. The normal temperature for this time of the year in Srinagar is minus 2.3°C, the official said.
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 mercury settled at minus 12.0°C in Pahalgam against minus 1.3°C on the previous night in the world-famous health resort and was the coldest place across the valley.
Qazigund, the gateway town of J&K, recorded a low of minus 3.0°C against 4.0°C on the previous night while Kokernag recorded a minimum of minus 3.6°C against 4.5°C on the earlier night.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 11.0°C against minus 4.8°C on the earlier night, the official said.
Against minus 0.4°C on the previous night, the mercury settled at minus 4.2 °C in the in Kupwara district of north Kashmir, 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).
The weatherman has forecast mainly dry weather till January 31.
