Relief from freezing cold in Srinagar
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 31: Mercury plunged to season’s lowest in Pahalgam and Gulmarg, recording a low of minus 9.0°C and 8.0°C respectively, even as most other places saw a rise in minimum temperature today with Srinagar recording above freezing temperatures for the first time in the last two weeks.
A Meteorological Department official said that Srinagar recorded a low of 0.4°C against last night’s minus 0.3°C. The temperature was 2.5°C above normal for the city.
Srinagar, which witnessed mist this morning, has so far seen the coldest temperature this season on December 25 when mercury plummeted to minus 5.8°C. The night temperature was first time above freezing in last two weeks.
Qazigund recorded a low of 0.5°C against minus 2.0°C on the previous night. The temperature was 2.8°C above normal for the town.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 9.0°C against minus 4.9°C on the previous night. The minimum temperature was 3.8°C below normal and the coldest night recorded this season in the famous tourist resort.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.6°C against minus 2.0°C on the previous night. It was 2.1°C above normal for the place.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 8.0°C against minus 5.5°C on the previous night. It was 1.8°C below normal for the skiing.
In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at minus 1.1°C against minus 0.8°C on the previous night. The temperature was 2.1°C above normal.
Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 13.6°C and 10.2°C respectively.
Kashmir is under the grip of Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21 and will end on Jan 30. It is followed by a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that occurs between January 30 and February 19 and a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bacha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1.
The MeT official said that mainly dry weather was expected with a fall in minimum temperature across J&K till January 8.
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