Srinagar: There was some improvement in the minimum temperature on Tuesday across J&K and Ladakh but most parts continued to experience sub-zero nights as 40-day harshest winter period – ‘Chillai-Kalan’ – started on Tuesday.
The night temperature rose “significantly” across the J&K and Ladalh last night owing to a cloud cover and the weatherman said that “gradual rise” was expected in the low temperature in coming days “due to an approaching feeble Western disturbance.” Also weatherman has forecast snowfall later this week.
A meteorological department official here said that Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K recorded a low of minus 2.8°C and was three degrees up from previous night’s minus 5.8°C. However, he said, overall it was below minus 1.3°C than the normal for this time of the year.
The 40-day long ‘Chillai Kalan starts on December 21 it is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.
The mercury in the world famous resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district settled at minus 5.0°C against minus 5.5°C on the previous night, the official said.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had a low of minus 2.6°C against minus 6.5°C on the previous night, he said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.7°C against minus 7.4°C on previous night.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.3°C against minus 5.9°C on previous night, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 3.8°C against minus 5.2°C on the previous night, the official said.
Jammu, the J&K’s winter capital, saw a low of 3.3°C which is minus 5.7°C below normal, he said.
Ladakh’s Leh had a low of minus 8.2°C against last night’s minus 13.9°C while automatic Kargil station recorded minimum of minus 9.0°C. Drass in Kargil, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 11.1°C, the official said.
“Due to a feeble Western Disturbance, weather is most likely to remain generally cloudy in both J&K and Ladakh with chances of light snowfall at scattered places of Kashmir(over higher reaches, not plains) Kargil district (Zojila-Drass, Parkachik- Penzila) and over hilly areas of Jammu region during 23rd and 24th,” the official said, adding,”A snow spell of greater intensity is most likely during 26(Evening) to 28(Forenoon) with Main Activity on 27th.” Except this, the official said, “there’s No forecast of any Major Snow spell in both J&K and Ladakh in December:” (GNS)
