Minimum temp improves slightly in J-K, possibility of snowfall over few days from Saturday

There was some respite from the intense cold conditions in Kashmir as the minimum temperature improved slightly even as the Valley braces up for a possible wet weather spell for a few days from Saturday, officials said on Friday.

Srinagar recorded a low of minus 5.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday night against the season's lowest of minus 6.4 degrees the night before, the officials said.

Qazigund, the gateway to the Valley, registered a minimum of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara, a frontier district, recorded a minimum of minus 5.6 degrees.

Kokernag in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4.3 degrees, the officials said.

The tourist resort town of Pahalgam in Anantnag district, which also serves as a base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, registered a low of minus 8.6 degrees Celsius -- up from minus 9.2 degrees.

The minimum temperature in Gulmarg, the famous ski resort town in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, recorded a temperature of minus 5 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

The Met office has said the weather was likely to remain cloudy but mainly dry on Friday. It, however, forecast a possibility of light snow over scattered places towards the night with a 70 per cent chance of snowfall at many places over the next few days from Saturday.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of Chilla-i-Kalan, the 40-day harshest weather period when the chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent.

'Chilla-i-Kalan' begins on December 21 and ends on January 30.

The cold wave continues even after that with a 20-day-long 'Chilla-i-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day-long 'Chilla-i-Bachha' (baby cold) following it.