Dry Chillai-Kalan: Kashmir endures its coldest days without snow
Prolonged dry spell marks peak winter as MeT rules out any significant weather system till January 20
Our Special Correspondent
Srinagar: In the depths of Chilla-i-Kalan, the harshest phase of Kashmir’s winter, the Valley is passing through an unusually quiet January marked by intense cold but an unsettling absence of snow.
Traditionally known for heavy snowfall and frequent western disturbances, this year’s Chillai-Kalan is unfolding under largely clear skies, turning January into one of the driest mid-winter months in recent memory.
While night temperatures continue to plunge below freezing across the Valley, the expected snowstorms have remained elusive. Srinagar and other plain areas are witnessing icy mornings and biting evenings, yet the landscape lacks the thick white cover that usually defines this time of year. Even famed winter destinations like Gulmarg and Pahalgam have seen only brief and light spells of snow, insufficient to build a stable snowpack.
The Meteorological Department has ruled out any major change in weather conditions in the coming days, reinforcing the dry outlook for the month.
“There is no significant weather system expected till January 20,” said Director Meteorological Centre Srinagar, Mukhtar Ahmad, adding that Kashmir is likely to experience mainly dry weather with cold nights and comparatively stable daytime temperatures.
According to MeT data, minimum temperatures across the Valley have consistently remained below normal. Srinagar has frequently recorded night temperatures between minus three and minus five degrees Celsius, while higher reaches such as Gulmarg have dipped to minus seven degrees Celsius and below. Despite this sharp cold, the lack of snowfall has resulted in daytime temperatures hovering near or slightly above seasonal averages.
The prolonged dry spell has begun to raise concerns among farmers, orchardists and water resource experts, who rely heavily on winter snow as a natural reservoir for the summer months. Reduced snowfall during Chillai-Kalan could impact groundwater recharge and river flows later in the year, affecting both agriculture and drinking water supplies.
Hoteliers and tourism stakeholders, while welcoming the steady flow of visitors, admit that the absence of snow has altered the winter experience. Many tourists arriving with expectations of snow-covered vistas are instead greeted by frost-laced mornings and clear mountain silhouettes.
As Chillai-Kalan inches towards its end later this month, Kashmir continues to endure a winter that is cold but unusually silent — a season where freezing temperatures persist, yet snowfall remains a distant promise, leaving the Valley waiting under clear skies for a change that may not arrive before January 20.
