Day sees improvement in temperature

Srinagar: Nights in the Valley went into deep-freeze with mercury crossing minus 11 degrees Celsius in some parts of Kashmir. The sharp dip in the temperature froze a thick layer of ice on roads making them slippery for early risers. But as the morning progressed, there was marked improvement in day temperature with bright sun shine.
According to the meteorological centre Srinagar Pahalgam and Gulmarg recorded the lowest temperature of the season with minus 11 degrees Celsius.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 11.6 degrees Celsius while the skiing resort which is bustling with tourists in winters saw a low of minus 11.5 degrees Celsius. It was for the fourth straight night that the minimum temperature has fallen to minus 10 degree Celsius or below, officials said.
Srinagar recorded minus 3.6 degrees Celsius with a thick layer of ice frozen on roads.
Qazigund, the gateway town to the Valley, recorded the minimum of minus 5.3 degrees Celsius, while the nearby south Kashmir town of Kokernag recorded a low of minus 7.2 degrees Celsius.
The mercury in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at a low of minus 5.5 degrees Celsius.
The MeT office said the weather is likely to stay mainly dry over the next few days.
Kashmir Valley is currently under the grip of the 40-day harshest winter period known as ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ which began on December 21.
‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ is a period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies, including the famous Dal Lake here, as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the Valley.
The chances of snowfall are the most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive heavy to very heavy snowfall.
The ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ will end on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir with a 20-day-long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day-long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold).
— With PTI inputs

Reader correspondent