A day before the start of Kashmir’s harshest winter period, known as ‘Chillai Kalan,’ temperatures dropped sharply across the valley. On Friday, officials reported that Srinagar experienced its coldest night of the season, with a low of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, slightly colder than the previous night’s minus 6 degrees.
The temperature was 4.2 degrees below the normal for this time of year. The freezing cold caused water supply lines and the edges of water bodies, like Dal Lake, to freeze in many areas.
The ongoing dry weather has worsened common illnesses like coughs and colds. In South Kashmir, Pahalgam, which is also a base camp for the Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 8.2 degrees Celsius, down from minus 6.8 degrees the night before.
Gulmarg, a popular skiing destination, saw a minimum temperature of minus 6 degrees Celsius, one degree lower than the previous night. Konibal, near Pampore town, was the coldest spot in the valley, with a low of minus 9.2 degrees Celsius.
Other temperatures included minus 7.6 degrees in Qazigund, minus 6.5 degrees in Kupwara, and minus 5.8 degrees in Kokernag.
The meteorological department predicts mostly dry weather until December 26, with a chance of light snowfall in higher areas on the night of December 21-22. Light snow may also fall in some higher places from the night of December 27 to the morning of December 28.
Temperatures are expected to drop further, leading to a cold wave in some areas over the next few days.
‘Chillai-Kalan,’ the 40-day period of intense winter, starts on Saturday. During this time, snowfall is more likely, and temperatures drop significantly. It ends on January 31, but the cold continues with a 20-day ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold).
