Night Temp Remains Below Freezing Point, Days Warmer
Srinagar: Ongoing dry spell amid intense cold has resulted in many water bodies hitting the bottom in Kashmir as the weather office forecast generally dry weather till January 25.
The ongoing 40-day long period of harsh winter cold known as the ‘Chillai Kalan’ started on December 21 and will end on January 30.
“If the present dry spell continues till the end of Chillai Kalan then we are headed for a miserable summer water situation.
“Snowfall after the Chillai Kalan hardly replenishes the perennial water reservoirs in the mountains”, said a senior engineer of the Jal Shakti department. The night temperature remained below freezing temperature while days remained warmer.
A meteorological department official here told GNS that while Srinagar saw same minimum temperature on the previous night (minus 5.0 degree Celsius), the temperature was 3.1°C below normal for the summer capital of J&K for this time of the year.
Qazigund recorded a minimum of minus 4.6°C against minus 4.4°C on the previous night, he said. The minimum temperature was 1.6°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, the MeT official said.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 6.3°C, same as on the previous night and it was 0.8°C above normal for the famous resort in south Kashmir.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum of minus 2.4°C, same as on the previous night and the temperature was above normal by 1.2°C for the place, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5.3°C against minus 4.7°C on the previous night and it was 2.4°C below normal there, the official said.
Gulmarg, the official said, recorded a low of minus 3.5°C against minus 5.0°C on the previous night and the temperature was 4.4°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir.
Jammu, he said, recorded a minimum of 4.7°C against 4.8°C on previous night, and it was below normal by 2.3°C for the winter capital of J&K.
Banihal recorded a low of minus 1.4°C, Batote 2.2°C and Bhaderwah minus 0.2°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.
The MeT official said that generally dry weather is expected for now. “A feeble WD is approaching on January 17. Generally cloudy weather with light snow over isolated higher reaches is expected,” he said, adding, “Generally dry weather is expected from January 18-20.”
Overall dry weather is expected till January 25, he added.