Srinagar: Barring a few places, the night temperatures rose across Kashmir Valley amid forecast for rain and snow.
A meteorological department official said the famous hill resort of Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 11.0 Degrees Celsius last night against minus 4.9 degree Celsius on previous night.
The mercury increased in Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, from minus 3 degrees Celsius on previous night to minus 0.3 degree Celsius.
The nigh temperature in Qazigund was 0.0 degrees Celsius while Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum of minus 1.0 degree Celsius against minus 1.4 degrees Celsius on previous night.
The MeT official said that the mercury at the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir settled at minus 8.5 degrees Celsius last night as against minus 10.0 degrees Celsius on the previous night.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir registered a low of minus 3.2 degree Celsius last night, down from the previous night’s 3.0 degrees Celsius, the official said.
The night temperature in Leh dipped to minus 15.0 degrees Celsius aianst minus 9.9 degrees Celsius last night.
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).
The meteorological department has forecast widespread rain and snow across the state from tomorrow but its Director Sonam Lotus said that the downpour would not be as heavy as that of last week.
