Mercury plummeted to -8.5°C in Srinagar, the season’s coldest night and the second lowest ever minimum temperature in the summer capital, as Chillai-Kalan’, the 40-day harsh period of winter, started on Saturday.
A meteorological department official here told GNS that Srinagar recorded a drop in temperature by 2.3°C than last night’s 6.2°C which was the previous lowest this season.
According to the records, the previous lowest in 38 years was recorded on 31 December 1986 when mercury plunged to -7.9°C, the MeT official said. The lowest ever temperature was endured on 13 December 1934 when mercury plummeted to -12.8°C, he told Global News Service. In the last decade, Srinagar recorded the previous lowest on 28 December 2018 when mercury plunged to -7.7°C. Kashmir Valley is witnessing one of the worst winters.
Qazigund recorded a minimum of minus 8.2°C against minus 7.6°C on the previous night, he said. Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 8.6°C against minus 8.2°C on the previous night.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum of minus 5.8°C against minus 5.8°C on the previous night
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 7.2°C against minus 6.5°C on the previous night, the official said.
Gulmarg, the official said, recorded a low of minus 6.2°C against minus 6.0°C on the previous night.
Jammu, he said, recorded a minimum of 5.4°C, same as on the previous night, and it was below normal by 2.0°C for the winter capital of J&K.
Banihal recorded a low of minus 1.8°C, Batote 1.6°C and Bhaderwah minus 0.4°C, he said.
‘Chillai-Kalan’, the 40-day harsh period of winter, started today and it will end on January 29. 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. (GNS)
