SRINAGAR:
, officials reported on Tuesday. According to them, the low temperature in Srinagar city on Monday night was minus 4.6 degrees Celsius, which was a decrease from the negative 4.3 degrees Celsius the night before. It was minus 4.4 degrees Celsius at Qazigund and minus 3.1 degrees Celsius at Gulmarg, a ski resort in north Kashmir. According to officials, Pahalgam, located in the Anantnag region of south Kashmir and used as one of the base camps for the yearly Amarnath Yatra, experienced a minimum temperature of minus 5.4 degrees Celsius.Kokernag town had a minimum temperature of -2.3 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara recorded a minimum temperature of -4.4 degrees Celsius. According to the government, Kashmir has had a dry and mainly snowless winter, which has led to chilly nights and warmer than normal days. According to them, Srinagar’s daytime temperatures were more than eight degrees warmer than average for this time of year. The 40-day severe winter “Chilla-i-Kalan” that is now affecting Kashmir causes temperatures to drop sharply, causing pipes and other bodies of water to freeze. During this time, there is a greater likelihood of snowfall, and most places—especially the higher reaches—get a lot of snowfall. Due to the lengthy dry season that Kashmir has been experiencing, there was a 79% rainfall deficit in December and no precipitation in most of the territory during the first two weeks of January. While the upper portions of the region have gotten less snow than typical, most plain areas of Kashmir have not seen any snowfall. Up until January 21, the meteorological department has mostly predicted dry weather. The last day of “Chilla-i-Kalan” is January 31. After that, though, there will be two further rounds of cold: a 10-day “Chilla-i-Bachha” (baby cold) and a 20-day “Chilla-i-Khurd” (little cold).