Srinagar, Dec 21: As Kashmir continues to be under the grip of severe cold weather conditions, Srinagar witnessed seasons lowest temperature so far at minus 4.2 degree Celsius on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.
Director Meteorological Department Srinagar , Sonam Lotus told Rising Kashmir that they were expecting mainly dry weather till 25th December.
“During the same time shallow fog may develop during morning hours in plains of Jammu during nxt 22-24th(60% chance),” he said.
Lotus said from 26-30th December, there will be generally cloudy sky with intermittent light to moderate snow at scattered places of Kashmir, higher reaches of Jammu and light rain in plains of Jammu region.
He said snowfall and below freezing temperatures may lead to temporary disruption of surface transportation on places like Mughal road, Zojila, Karna, Sadna top etc. during the 26-27th December. ” Although there is no forecast of any major snow spell,” Lotus said.
As per MeT officials, other parts of valley were also reeling under intense cold leaving water bodies frozen, Srinagar city recorded 4.2°C temperatures on Tuesday night, which is lowest day temperatures so far in the season.
Ski resort Gulmarg in north Kashmir settled at minus 4.6 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam recorded minus 6.2 °C and was the coldest place in the region.
To mention the harshest winter period of chillaikalan began in Kashmir on Dec 21.
The 40 days of Chillai Kalan are followed by 20 days of Chillai Khurd, which translates to small cold, and 10 days of Chillebach (literally, baby cold). This year, minimum temperatures plummeted to minus 3.5 Celsius in Srinagar on Dec 12.
The snow that falls during this time period freezes and lasts longer. It is this snow that adds to the glaciers of the Valley and replenishes the perennial reservoirs that feed the rivers, streams, and lakes in Kashmir during the months of summer. Any snowfall after the Chillai-Kalan does not last long.
