Srinagar: Chillai Kalan, the 40-day harshest period of winter arrived in Kashmir on Tuesday with improvement in day as well as night temperature.
The phase inflicts a host of miseries on people including freezing of water bodies as well as water pipes. The chances of snow are maximum during Chillai Kalan while temperature drops below freezing.
An official at Meteorological centre Srinagar said that a feeble western disturbance is approaching Jammu and Kashmir during which there are chances of snow. The chances of snow are most likely on higher reaches in Kashmir, Jammu and Kargil on December 23 and 24.
The MeT official said that a snow spell of higher intensity is expected from December 26 till 28 with main activity on December 27.
Meanwhile, Srinagar recorded a low of minus 2.8 degrees Celsius on Monday night, slightly up from minus 5.8 degrees recorded the previous night.
The city had recorded a low of minus 6 degrees Celsius for two consecutive nights on Saturday and Sunday, which was the lowest of the season so far.
Gulmarg resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district recorded a low of minus 5 degrees Celsius.
The officials said Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 3.7 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at a low of minus 3.8 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund, the gateway town to the valley, recorded minus 2.6 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag also recorded a low of minus 3.3 degrees Celsius.

Reader correspondent