Kashmir Valley experiences slight relief from cold

Kashmir Valley experienced a slight relief from intense cold as the minimum temperature went up in the region while the mercury plummeted in Ladakh by several degrees.

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 2.2 degrees celsius which is an increase of over two degrees from the Saturday night's minus 4.4 degrees celsius, an official of the MET department said.

He said along with the capital city, the night temperature marked an increase across the Valley, except the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg, in north Kashmir, where the mercury went down by nearly three degrees to settle at a low of minus 4.6 degrees celsius. The resort had registered the low of minus 2 degrees celsius on the previous night.

Pahalgam hill resort, in south Kashmir, witnessed a low of minus 2.9 degrees celsius, which is an increase of nearly two degrees from minus 4.6 degrees celsius 24 hours earlier.

"The night temperature in Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir Valley, went up by over four degrees from Saturday's minus 4 degrees celsius to settle above the freezing point at a low of 0.3 degree celsius," the official said.

He said Kokernag, in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 1.2 degrees while Kupwara, in north, registered the minimum of minus 4.5 degrees celsius. Kargil, in Ladakh region, was the coldest recorded place in the state as the night temperature there went down by nearly six degrees from the previous night's minus 4.1 degrees celsius to settle at a low of minus 9.9 degrees celsius, the official said.

He said the nearby Leh town recorded a low of minus 9.4 degrees celsius, a decrease of nearly eight degrees from minus 1.5 degrees celsius.

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

'Chillai-Kalan' which began on December 21, ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues.

The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day long 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold).