Srinagar: Snowfall in some parts and brief rainfall in most areas of Kashmir resulted in respite from intense cold wave conditions on Monday.
Srinagar recorded a low of 2.2 degrees Celsius Sunday night – up nearly four degrees from the previous night’s minus 1.8 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund, the gateway town to the Valley, recorded the minimum of 1.2 degrees Celsius while as nearby south Kashmir town of Kokernag recorded a low of minus 2.3 degrees Celsius, officials said.
The mercury in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at a low of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district recorded a low of minus 4.1 degrees Celsius – down from minus 3.8 degrees Celsius the previous night.
The mercury in Gulmarg settled at a low of minus 6.0 degrees Celsius — 1.5 degrees up from the previous night.
Moderate to light snowfall has been reported from most parts of north Kashmir and south Kashmir including Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Pahalgam tourist resorts.
Kashmir Valley is currently under the grip of the 40-day harshest winter period known as ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ which began on Tuesday.
‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ is a period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water-bodies including the Dal Lake here as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the valley.
The chances of snowfall are the most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive heavy to very heavy snowfall.
