Fayaz Bukhari/Gopal Sharma
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Dec 29: Northern region was reeling under intense cold weather conditions with Srinagar recording coldest night of the season as temperatures plummeting to minus 6.2 degrees Celsius making parts of Dal lake to freeze.
The minimum temperature across the Kashmir valley and Ladakh Union Territory stayed several degrees below the freezing point, intensifying the cold wave in some areas in the region, a Meteorological Department official said.
He said it was the coldest night of the season so far in Srinagar city, leading to freezing of the fringes of the Dal lake and other water bodies as well as water supply lines at several places.
Srinagar experienced the coldest night of the season at minus 6.2 degrees Celsius. The day temperature was, however, recorded at 9. 0 Degree Celsius as Sun came out giving some relief to people from freezing cold of the morning.
Parts of Dal lake and other water bodies were also frozen this morning due to intense cold weather conditions that prevailed in Kashmir for last over one week. With temperatures plummeting in Kashmir, the tapes have started freezing in the morning causing water crisis.
Gulmarg, the world famous ski resort, recorded minimum of minus 6.6 degree Celsius, Pahalgam maximum of 7.1 degree C and minimum of minus 10.4 deg C, Qazigund, the gateway of Kashmir, recorded maximum of 9.2 deg C and minimum of minus 9.5 degree Celsius, Kokernag maximum 5.9 deg C and minimum of minus 7.5 degree Celsius while Kupwara had maximum of 9.3 degree C and minimum minus 6.1 deg Celsius.
The MeT official further said that winter capital city’s night temperature was gradually falling for the last couple of days. The minimum temperature in Jammu was 5.7 degree C while the day temperature has shown little improvement as it was 14.3 deg C this afternoon.
Banihal town recorded maximum temperature of 17.4 deg Celsius and minimum of minus 2.2 degree C, Batote maximum of 16.0 degree C and minimum 0.4degree Celsius; holy township of Katra recorded maximum of 14.5 degree Celsius and minimum of 3.3 degree Celsius while tourist resort of Bhaderwah witnessed maximum of 13.9 degree Celsius and minimum of minus 0.8 degree Celsius temperature today.
Leh recorded a maximum of 0.0 degree Celsius and minimum of minus 19.0 degree Celsius while Drass in Kargil recorded maximum minus 12.6 degree Celsius and minimum of minus 28.7 degree Celsius.
Kashmir was currently under the grip of Chillai Kalan (the Great Cold), the 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably. It began on December 21 and 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 MeT official has forecast rain and snowfall in J&K on the New Year’s eve which is likely to bring respite from the cold wave conditions. He said there is possibility of light rain or snowfall across Kashmir and parts of Jammu division for a few days from December 31.
“While there is forecast of scattered rains or snowfall on December 31 and January 1, there is possibility of fairly-widespread rainfall or snow on January 2 which may continue till January 3,” he added.
Meanwhile, dense fog and bad weather conditions continued to affect train and air service in the region for the last one week. Today also, several trains had late arrival at Jammu station while some morning flights were delayed at Jammu airport, leading to rescheduling of their take off time.
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