Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 15: Kashmir valley and Ladakh region remained in the grip of cold wave due to dry weather conditions with mercury dropping down to minus 20 degrees Celsius last night.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 3.3 degrees Celsius, one degree up from previous night’s 4.3 degrees Celsius. The maximum day temperature was recorded at 13.7 degrees Celsius, which is 7.3 degrees Celsius above normal.
The night temperature in Qazigund, in South Kashmir, stayed at a low of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius which is 0.2 degree Celsius up from previous night’s 4.4 degrees Celsius. The maximum day temperature was recorded at 13.4 degrees Celsius, 7.4 degrees Celsius above normal.
Kokernag town saw mercury drop marginally to minus 1.8 degrees Celsius from previous night’s 1.7 degrees Celsius. The maximum day temperature was recorded at 11.8 degrees Celsius, 7.5 degrees Celsius above normal.
Kupwara in North Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4.8 degrees Celsius down from previous night’s 4.7 degree Celsius. The maximum day temperature was recorded at 14.9 degrees Celsius, 7.4 degrees Celsius above normal.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 5.0 degrees Celsius. The maximum day temperature was recorded at 7.8 degrees Celsius, 7.4 degrees Celsius above normal.
The night temperature in Pahalgam settled at minus 6.4 degrees Celsius last night. The maximum day temperature was recorded at 6.6 degrees Celsius, 6.2 degrees Celsius above normal.
Leh recorded a low of minus 10.9 degrees Celsius last night while the maximum day temperature was 6.8 degrees Celsius.
Kargil recorded minus 20.0 degrees Celsius last night while the maximum day temperature was 2.9 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. The power crisis has worsened due to continuous dry weather conditions.
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.
It ends on 31 January, but 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).
A Meteorological Department official said that weather will remain dry across the region for next few days and this will further lead to drop in the temperatures.
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