J&K Freezes On Chillai Kalan Eve : Srinagar Shivers At Minus 5.8°C
J&K Freezes On Chillai Kalan Eve : Srinagar Shivers At Minus 5.8°C
Srinagar, Dec 20 : A day ahead of Chillai-e-Kalan— the 40-day long chilliest part of the winter season—J&K and Ladakh continued to reel under intense cold conditions with Srinagar recording a low of minus 5.8°C on Monday.
A meteorological department official here told media that the mercury in the summer capital was two notches up from previous two night’s minus 6.0°C. However, he said, overall it was below minus 4.3°C than the normal for this time of the year.
While as 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’.
Meanwhile, the mercury in the world famous resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir's Baramulla district settled at minus 5.5°C against minus 7.5°C on the previous night, the official said.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had a low of minus 6.0°C against minus 6.0°C on the previous night, he said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 7.4°C against minus 8.7°C on previous night.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 5.9°C against minus 6.0°C on previous night, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 5.2°C against minus 6.1°C on the previous night, the official said.
Jammu, the J&K’s winter capital, saw a low of 3.2°C which is minus 5.7°C below normal, he said.
Ladakh’s Leh had a low of minus 13.9°C against last night’s minus 16.0°C while automatic Kargil station recorded minimum of minus 11.5°C. Drass in Kargil, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 19.0°C, the official said.
“ Mostly dry and cold weather is likely to continue till December 22 forenoon in both J&K and Ladakh,” the official said, adding, “ There's a modifications in early forecast of snowfall. Now, there's no forecast of any major snowfall in both J&K and Ladakh.”
However, he said, light to moderate snowfall is expected at many places of J&K and at scattered places of Ladakh especially along Sonmarg-Drass, Parkachik-Padum axis during evening of December 22 to 25.
He said that due to mainly clear sky, night temperature Is most likely to fall further during next three days.
“ Thereafter, due to the approaching Western Disturbance, we expect gradual fall in day temperature and slight rise in night temperature from December 21 to 26.”
