Temperature dips across Kashmir

Cold wave conditions intensified across Kashmir, as the mercury slipped further below the freezing point resulting in frozen water bodies and water supply lines in several residential areas in Srinagar.

Srinagar — the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir ---which recorded a night temperature of minus 6.7 degrees celsius while the extreme cold weather conditions show no signs of abating.

MeT officials here informed that Gulmarg recorded the temperature of minus 9.4 degrees celsius making it the coldest place across the valley.

Qazigund, the gateway town to the Valley, recorded a low of minus 5.9 degrees Celsius, while the nearby Kokernag registered a low of minus 5.4 degrees Celsius. The night temperature in Pahalgam in southern Kashmir settled at a low of minus 7.9 degrees Celsius.

Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 6.4 degrees Celsius down from minus 5.2 degrees Celsius on the previous night, he said.

The officials said Leh recorded a low of minus 17.1 degrees Celsius on December 25 night down from minus 14.7 degrees Celsius.

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Kargil recorded minus 14.4 while Drass continued to endure arctic conditions, recording a low of minus 21.1 degrees Celsius.

The cold wave has resulted in the freezing of some water bodies, including fringes of the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar, and residential water supply pipes in many areas of the city and other towns of the Valley.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of 'Chillai-Kalan' — the 40-day harshest period of winter when chances of snowfall are maximum, and the temperature drops considerably.

'Chillai-Kalan' ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir. The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold).

However, the winter this season has been dry so far, although there was a spell of early snowfall in the Valley in first and second week of November.

The prolonged dry spell has resulted in an increase in common ailments like cough, cold and other respiratory problems, especially among children and elderly. The MeT office has forecast mainly dry weather till Weekend.

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