Slight respite from cold conditions in Kashmir

There was some respite from cold wave conditions in Kashmir as minimum temperatures across the valley rose by a couple of degrees, officials said here on Monday.

Srinagar recorded a low of minus 1.2°C on Sunday night, up from the minus 4.7°C on the previous night.

The tourist resort of Sonamarg in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district registered a low of minus 8.3°C and was the coldest recorded place in the valley.

Shopian and Pulwama towns in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4.7° and minus 5.1°C respectively.

Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir, which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a low of minus 1.8°C, the officials said.

The night temperature in the popular ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district settled at a low of minus 3.5°C, they said.

The minimum temperature in Qazigund, the gateway town of the valley, settled at minus 2.4°C, the officials said.

Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.4°C and Kupwara minus 1.6°C, they added.

Kashmir valley is currently in the midst of ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, 40 days of extreme cold, during which night temperatures often drop several degrees below the freezing point, and the chances of snowfall are the highest.

‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, which began on December 21 last year, ends on January 30.