Srinagar, Jan 14: Pahalgam witnessed the coldest night of the season at a record low of minus 14.6 degrees Celsius, which was also the coldest January night in the hill station in the past five years.
While Kargil was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir with a low of minus 18.6 degrees Celsius, Leh too witnessed a low of minus 16.2 degrees Celsius.
In Srinagar, the minimum temperature plummeted to six degrees on Sunday night and settled at minus 6.4 degrees Celsius. Qazigund in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5.9 degrees Celsius while Kokernag town registered a low of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius on Sunday night. Gulmarg, north Kashmir’s ski-resort, recorded a low of minus 12.0 degrees Celsius.
The Valley, however, saw a sunny Monday morning despite the cold conditions.
Kashmir is under what is known as the ‘Chillai-Kalan’ — the 40-day harshest period of winter when snowfall is frequent. Chillai-Kalan ends on 31 January and is then followed by a 20-day-long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and the 10-day ‘Chillai Bachha’ (baby cold).
Another spell of precipitation starting Friday is expected even though the Indian Meteorological Department has said that the weather will remain dry for the next few days.
