Sunny days lead to colder nights in Kashmir

A view of Srinagar on a foggy day on Monday. -Excelsior/Shakeel
A view of Srinagar on a foggy day on Monday. -Excelsior/Shakeel

Fayaz Bukhari

Srinagar, Jan 2 :Amid overnight clear skies, the minimum temperature plummeted across Kashmir today with Gulmarg and Pahalgam recording season’s coldest night at minus 10.0°C and 9.6°C respectively.
A Meteorological Department official said that Srinagar recorded a low of minus 5.4°C against last night’s 0.5°C. The temperature was 3.3°C below normal for the city.
Srinagar has so far seen the coldest temperature this season on December 25 when mercury plummeted to minus 5.8°C.
Qazigund recorded a low of minus 5.8°C against 0.3°C on the previous night. The temperature was 2.9°C below normal for the town.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 9.6°C against minus 9.4°C the previous night. The minimum temperature was 3.0°C below normal and the coldest night recorded this season in the tourist resort.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 4.6°C against minus 0.6°C the previous night. It was 1.1°C below normal for the place.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 10.0°C against minus 8.2°C the previous night. It was 3.0°C below normal and this season’s coldest for the skiing resort.
In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at minus 5.7°C against minus 4.5°C the previous night. The temperature was 3.2°C below normal.
Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 15.4°C and minus 15.4°C respectively.
Kashmir is under the grip of Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21 and will end on Jan 30. It is followed by a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that occurs between January 30 and February 19 and a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bacha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1.
The MeT official said mainly clear weather was expected till January 6. “Expect further fall in minimum temperature across J&K,” he said.
“On January 7, weather is expected to be cloudy and from January 8-10, weather is expected to be cloudy with possibility of snowfall and rain (in plains of Jammu) at many places of J&K (70% chance).”