Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 21 : Kashmir’s harshest winter period, known as Chilai Kalan began today during which the temperatures drop below zero. The weatherman, meanwhile, forecast widespread rain and snow on December 27.
And in Kashmir, with overnight cloud cover, the night temperatures rose a little but remained below the normal for this time of the year.
Srinagar, where people endured second coldest night in a decade last weekend, recorded a low of minus 4.0 degrees Celsius, two degrees below the normal for this time of the season.
The temperature also remained below normal overnight in other parts of the Valley with Gulmarg recording a low of minus 6.4 degrees Celsius, one degree below the normal and almost 5 degrees above from the previous few nights.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 4.6 degree Celsius against 9.2 on previous night. Qazigund recorded minus 4.6°C, Kupwara minus 2.5°C and Kokernag minus 3.9°C.
In the meantime, Chilai-Kalan began on December 21 and will end on January 31. The period is considered the harshest of the winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum.
The Chilai-Kalan is followed by a 20-day-long ‘Chilai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day-long ‘Chilai-Bachha’ (baby cold).
The weatherman has forecast mainly dry weather over Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh for next few days till December 27.
“The weather is going to be dry for now even though there is possibility of isolated very light rain/snow in Kashmir and Ladakh in next 24 hours,” a MeT official said.
“There would be widespread rain/snow in Kashmir and Jammu besides isolated rain and snow in Ladakh on December 27”, he said.
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