Several parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh reeled under cold wave conditions on Saturday, with Srinagar recording the coldest night of the season at -5.8°C.
The mercury in Leh and Drass in Ladakh plummeted to -19.1°C and -28.6°C, respectively, a Metrological Department official said.
Water supply lines froze at several places in Srinagar as the minimum temperature in the city settled at -5.8°C on Friday night. It was -5.6°C the previous night.
The Metrological Department has forecast rain and snowfall in Kashmir on the New Year’s Eve that is likely to bring respite from the cold wave conditions in the Valley.
Drass shivers at -28.6°C, Srinagar at -5.8°C
The mercury in Leh and Drass in Ladakh plummeted to -19.1°C and -28.6°C. respectively, a Metrological Department official said.
Water supply lines froze at several places in Srinagar as the minimum temperature in the city settled at -5.8°C on Friday night making it the coldest night of the season. It was -5.6°C the previous night.
“There is a possibility of light rains or snowfall across Kashmir for a few days from December 31,” the Metrological Department official said
“There is a possibility of light rains or snowfall across Kashmir for a few days from December 31,” the official said.
He said while there was forecast of scattered rains or snowfall on December 31 and January 1, fairly widespread rainfall or snow is likely on January 2, which might continue till January 3.
The ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a low of -7.5°C, up from the previous night’s -9.5°C, the official said.
The night temperature at Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir settled at a low of -11.2°C as against -12°C on Friday.
Pahalgam was the coldest place in the Valley, he added.
The official said Qazigund in south Kashmir recorded a low of -10.8°C.
South Kashmir’s Kokernag town recorded a low of -7.6°C, while the minimum temperature in north Kashmir’s Kupwara settled at -6.3°C, the official said.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent and the temperature drops considerably.
‘Chillai Kalan’ began on December 21 and will continue till January 31. The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day-long ‘Chillai Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day-long ‘Chillai Bachha’ (baby cold). — PTI