There has been a slight drop in the minimum temperature in most parts of Kashmir. At the same time, there has been snowfall in tourist spots Gulmarg and Pahalgam.
Officials informed on Thursday that the minimum temperature in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, was recorded at minus 2.2 degrees Celsius, which is half a degree lower than the previous night.
Gulmarg, a famous tourist destination in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, recorded a minimum temperature of minus five degrees Celsius. On the other hand, Pahalgam in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district recorded a minimum temperature of minus 0.6 degrees Celsius.
Officials said the minimum temperature in Qazigund was recorded at 0.7 degrees Celsius. While Kokernag in South Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of minus 0.1 degree Celsius. Kupwara in North Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of 1.2 degrees Celsius.
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The Meteorological Department has said that it will be partly cloudy in Jammu and Kashmir and there is a possibility of light rain or snowfall during 22-23 January. The weather is likely to remain mainly dry till the end of the month. There is no forecast of much rain or snowfall. At present, 40 days of ‘Chillai-Kalan’ is going on in Kashmir which started on December 21 last month. During ‘Chillai-Kalan’, the region experiences extreme cold and the mercury drops significantly and many reservoirs including the Dal Lake freeze.
Water also freezes in water pipelines in various parts of the valley. The chances of snowfall are highest during this period and heavy to very heavy snowfall occurs in most areas, especially in the high altitude areas. ‘Chillai-Kalan’ will end on January 31. After which the 20-day ‘Chillai-Khurd’ will start in Kashmir. During this, the cold subsides a bit and then the 10-day ‘Chillai-Bachcha’ will last, then the intensity of the cold decreases further.
At the same time, the Western Disturbance remains over the eastern parts of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. Another Western Disturbance is persisting over North Pakistan and adjoining areas. The Cyclonic Circulation is over Bangladesh. During the last 24 hours, the Western Himalayas received light to moderate rain and snow. While some parts of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh and Northwest Rajasthan and isolated parts of Assam and Sikkim have received light rain.
Dense fog covered parts of South Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The minimum temperature has increased by 2-3 degrees over Northwest and Central India. Cold day conditions prevailed in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. During the next 24 hours, light to moderate rain at one or two places is likely over Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Light to moderate rain is possible over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland parts of North Punjab and North Haryana. Along with this, cold is expected to increase in other states of the country as well.
