Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Jan 10: The intense cold wave conditions in Kashmir have led to freezing of parts of famous Dal lake and other water bodies as the mercury continued to plummet with Srinagar recording coldest night of the season today.
The Meteorological Department has forecast mainly dry weather over the next few days across the Valley, possibly resulting in further drop in the night temperature.
Srinagar recorded its coldest night this winter as the minimum temperature settled at minus 6.3 degrees Celsius down from minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, recorded the previous night. It was for the fourth straight day that the minimum temperature settled at minus 6.0 degrees Celsius or below it in Srinagar. The day temperature, however, settled at 10.2 degrees Celsius, which is 4.1 degrees Celsius above normal.
Click here to watch video
The night temperature in Qazigund in South Kashmir settled at a low of minus 5.4 degrees Celsius. The day temperature, however, settled at 10.2 degrees Celsius, which is 4.2 degrees Celsius above normal.
Kokernag town saw the mercury rise to minus 2.9 degrees Celsius as compared to yesterday’s minus 3.4 degrees Celsius. The day temperature, however, settled at 9.0 degrees Celsius, which is 4.6 degrees Celsius above normal.
The night temperature in Pahalgam increased marginally from low of minus 7.6 degrees Celsius of the previous night to settle at minus 7.5 degrees Celsius last night. The day temperature, however, settled at 7.2 degrees Celsius, which is 3.3 degrees Celsius above normal.
Gulmarg recorded the minimum temperature of minus 8.6 degrees Celsius, a degree down from the previous night. The day temperature, however, was 4.0 degrees Celsius, which is 3.5 degrees Celsius above normal.
Kupwara in North Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5.4 degrees Celsius. The day temperature was 11.3 degrees Celsius, which is 5.2 degrees Celsius above normal.
Leh town marked the season’s lowest temperature at minus 17.4 degrees Celsius. Last night was also the coldest January night in the town in the last four years. Leh had previously recorded the lowest night temperature at minus 18.9 degrees Celsius on January12, 2014. The day temperature, however, settled at 2.3 degrees Celsius.
Kargil town experienced the coldest night of the season so far as the minimum temperature settled at minus 23.6 degrees Celsius. The town is witnessing extreme cold conditions. The day temperature, however, settled at minus 7.5 degrees Celsius.
The fringes of many water bodies, including the famous Dal lake, froze due to extreme cold conditions, which have also led to freezing of water supply pipes in many areas causing difficulties to the residents.
People in the Valley are also facing problems in these extreme climatic conditions on the electricity supply front as well. There are frequent power outages lasting a minimum of six hours in city areas and 18 hours in rural areas.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’ – a 40-day harshest period of winter – when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably.
Though it ends on January 31, the cold wave continues even after that in the Valley.
The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day-long ‘Chillai- Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day-long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold).
Follow our WhatsApp channel
