SRINAGAR: Severe cold conditions continued in Jammu and Kashmir with Srinagar recording a low of minus 3.8°C while Jammu recorded season’s lowest temperature on Thursday. While Srinagar recorded a minimum of minus 4.8°C for the last two nights, a meteorological department official said that the current temperature of minus 3.8°C was 1.7°C below normal for the summer capital of J&K for this time of the year. Qazigund recorded a minimum of minus 3.4°C against minus 4.6°C on the previous night, he said. The minimum temperature was 0.5°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, the MeT official said. Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 5.1°C against minus 6.6°C on the previous night and it was 1.5°C above normal for the famous resort in south Kashmir. Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum of minus 2.44°C against minus 3.2°C on the previous night and the temperature was above normal by 1.1°C for the place, the official said. Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 3.9°C against minus 5.3°C on the previous night and it was 1.4°C below normal there, the official said. Gulmarg, the official said, recorded a low of minus 4.2°C against minus 3.8°C on the previous night and the temperature was 2.8°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir. Jammu, he said, recorded a minimum of 4.7°C against 7.0°C on previous night, and it was below normal by 2.6°C for the winter capital of J&K. Banihal recorded a low of minus 0.4°C, Batote 3.1°C and Bhaderwah 1.1°C, he said. Kashmir valley is under ‘Chillai-Kalan‘, the 40-day harsh period of winter, which will end on January 30. However it does not mean an end to the winter. It is followed by a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that occurs between January 30 and February 19 and a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1. Weatherman has that from January 4-5 there is possibility of generally cloudy and dry weather over plains and “very light” snow over “isolated extreme higher reaches”. From January 6-7, he said, mainly dry weather is expected. Generally cloudy weather is expected with possibility of light rain/snow over isolated higher reaches on January 8, he said. From January 9-10, he said, generally dry weather is expected.
