Mercury Rises Across Kashmir, Gulmarg Coldest Place In Valley
Srinagar, Jan 29: With ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day long harshest period of winter ending tomorrow, the minimum temperature rose across Kashmir Valley on Saturday.
A meteorological department official here told GNS that Srinagar, the summer capital of the J&K recorded a low of minus 1.0°C against last night’s minus 3.6°C on the previous night.
Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan’, which started from December 21. Its exit does not mean end of the cold. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 7.5°C against minus 10.4°C on previous night, he said.
The temperature is normal for this time of the year in the famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.1C against minus 4.0°C on the previous night, he said.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.3°C against minus 4.9°C on the previous night, the official said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 2.8°C against minus 11.8°C on the last night, he said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 1.5°C against 4.6°C on the previous night, the official said.
Jammu recorded a low of 6.9°C against previous night’s 4.7°C. The temperature was 1.8°C below normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.
Banihal recorded a low of minus 0.6°C, Katra had minimum of 6.0°C while Bhaderwah recorded a low of minus 0.6°C, the official said.
Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 14.6°C against last night’s minus 18.0°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 16.9°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 14.4°C against last night’s minus 28.2°C, official said.
Weatherman has forecast cloudy weather in J&K for next two days. (GNS)