Clear skies bring a dip in night temp, Kargil coldest at -20°C

Tribune News Service

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Srinagar, January 15

The minimum temperature across the Valley continued to remain several degrees below the freezing point with Kargil being the coldest place where night temperature reached -20°C.

The Weather Department has predicted dry weather across the region till January 22. Officials said there won’t be any significant weather changes for more than a week.

“At -20°C, Kargil was the coldest town in the state followed by Leh at -10.9°C,” the official forecast said.

The sky remained clear in Srinagar with bright sunshine which might further dip the night temperature which is already below the freezing point.

“The minimum temperature recorded in Srinagar was -3.3°C, in Pahalgam -5.6°C and -6.4°C in Gulmarg,” an official of the MET Department said.

The official said the weather was likely to remain cold and dry during the next four to five days and as such the night temperature could fall further in the Valley and the Ladakh region.

In Jammu region, the minimum temperature recorded in the city was 4.7°C, Katra 8.2°C, Batote 3.3°C, Banihal 1.8°C, Bhaderwah 0.6°C and Udhampur 0.2°C.

Currently Kashmir is under the grip of 40-days of harshest winter known as ‘Chilai Kalan’, a period in winter when the mercury touches below freezing point and cold wave intensifies. The day temperature also dips drastically, freezing most of the water bodies, including the Dal Lake.

The Chilai Kalan is followed by 20-day-long “Chillai Khurd” and 10-day-long “Chilli Bacha”.

“Chillai Kalan” is considered to be the severest part of the winter for which people brace up in advance.

The officials said for the next 24 hours the sky would be mainly clear with haze in the summer capital.