Freezing cold in Kashmir; rain or snow predicted

Srinagar, January 17

The Kashmir Valley continued reel under arctic conditions even as a cloud cover enveloped the region on Wednesday.

The MeT department predicted rain or snow at a number of places in the valley later in the day.

The mercury stayed much below the freezing point in the cold desert of Ladakh.

Kargil town in the Ladakh region was the coldest place in Jammu and Kashmir at piercing -19 degrees Celsius.

Leh shuddered at -13.6 degrees Celsius, a MeT official said.

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a minimum of -3.6 degrees Celsius last night.

The night temperature in Qazigund in south Kashmir was - 4.4 degrees Celsius. Kokernag town had a low of -0.8 degrees Celsius.

Kupwara in north Kashmir shivered at -3.7 degrees Celsius.

The night temperature in the famous health resort of Pahalgam rose from -6.6 degrees Celsius to -3.8 degrees Celsius.

Gulmarg quivered at -4 degrees Celsius.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of Chillai-Kalan, a 40-day harshest period of winter. It ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in the valley.

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