As ‘Chilai-Kalan’ ends today, Kashmir records fresh snowfall
Srinagar: Kashmir witnessed fresh snowfall as the minimum temperature rose several notches high, the MeT department said Wednesday.
Moderate snowfall in plains and heavy precipitation in the higher reaches of the Valley has been going on since early hours, it said.
The weatherman said the precipitation brought major respite to residents and the minimum temperature increased several degrees across all weather stations.
The 40-day harshest winter period in Kashmir, known in the local parlance as ‘Chilai-Kalan’, will come to an on Thursday.
The ‘Chillai-Kalan’ period will end on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that across Kashmir. It will be followed by a 20-day ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold).
This time around ChillaiKalan period witnessed sufficient snowfall and extreme cold conditions. The severe weather conditions caused great inconvenience to people mostly to traders and commuters. Authorities closed down Srinagar-Jammu Highway for at least 13 times during the period of ChillaiKalan.
Meanwhile, Drass, the second coldest inhabited place in the world, saw the mercury rise by more than 12 degrees from minus 30.4 degrees Celsius to settle at minus 18.0 degrees Celsius.
In Leh district, the mercury settled at a low of minus 7.8 degrees Celsius compared to previous night’s minus 17.4 degrees Celsius, he said.
The minimum temperature in Srinagar Tuesday night settled at minus 0.3 degree Celsius four degrees up from the previous night, the official said.
The MeT said Qazigund the gateway town to the Valley in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 2 degrees Celsius, while nearby Kokernag town registered a low of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius Tuesday night.
The mercury in Kupwara town in north Kashmir settled at minus 2.2 degrees Celsius compared to Tuesday night’s low of minus 7.8 degrees Celsius.
Gulmarg ski-resort in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 7.5 degrees Celsius Tuesday night, rising significantly from the previous night’s minus 12.2 degrees Celsius, while Pahalgam tourist resort, in South Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.3 degrees Celsius — 10-degree rise over previous night, the official said.
The MeT has forecast rain or snow at most places across the state over the next five days.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of Chillai-Kalan the 40-day harshest period of winter when chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably.
Chillai-Kalan will end Wednesday night, but the cold wave is expected to continue in Kashmir. The 40-day period is followed by 20-day long Chillai-Khurd (small cold) and 10-day long Chillai-Bachha (baby cold). (with PTI inputs)
KV News
