Minimum temperature in Srinagar dips to -5.6°C; Gulmarg records low of -11°C
The 40-day long harshest phase of Kashmir’s winter began today with the mercury plunging several degrees below the freezing point in the region.
The winter’s harshest phase, which begins with the winter solstice and lasts for 40 days, is known as Chilai Kalaan in local parlance. It is feared for its freezing weather and spells of snow.
The annual phase begins on December 21 when the least amount of sunlight is received in the northern hemisphere.
Meanwhile, in Srinagar city, the night temperature dropped to a freezing low of minus 5.6 degree Celsius, making it the coldest night of the season so far.
Leh town, the urban centre in the Ladakh region, recorded an overnight low of minus 15.1 degrees Celsius, while the adjoining Kargil town recorded a low of minus 14.2 degrees Celsius, said an official of the state Meteorological Department.
In the Kashmir valley, minimum temperature in Gulmarg resort of north Kashmir plunged to minus 11.0 degrees Celsius, while the night temperature in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam resort was recorded at minus 7.2 degree Celsius.
In Qazigund, the gateway town in south Kashmir, the minimum was recorded at minus 2.4 degree Celsius.
In frontier Kupwara town of north Kashmir, temperature dropped to a low of minus 4.5 degrees Celsius.
The Meteorological Department in its weekly forecast bulletin said downpour was expected at isolated locations in the Kashmir valley on Tuesday and at scattered locations on Wednesday.
