Srinagar: Bitter cold returned to Kashmir with areas in south of Valley and Gulmarg recording severe conditions on Friday.
A meteorological department official here told GNS Srinagar recorded a low of minus 0.3°C against 0.2°C on previous night and it was 0.4°C above normal for the summer capital of J&K for this time of the year.
Qazigund recorded a minimum of minus 9.4°C against minus 0.4°C on the previous night, he said. The minimum temperature was 7.3°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, the MeT official said.
He said it was the lowest minimum temperature in Qazigund in February in at-least during the last decade, surpassing minus 9.0°C recorded on 9th of February 2019.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 11.9°C against minus 4.1°C on the previous night and it was 5.8°C below normal for the famous resort in south Kashmir. It was 3rd lowest temperature for Pahalgam in the last ten years after minus 12.6°C and minus 12.7°C on 2nd and 9th of February 2020 and 2019 respectively. The all-time lowest minimum temperature for Pahalgam during the February was minus 17.2°C on February 1984.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum of minus 9.4°C against 1.4°C on the previous night and the temperature was below normal by 7.0°C for the place, the official said. It was second lowest minimum temperature since 2014 in Kokernag with previous lowest of minus 9.5 recorded on 1 February 2021 and all-time record of minus 12.3°C on 22-02-1984.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4.4°C against 0.7°C on the previous night and it was 2.1°C below normal there, the official said.
Gulmarg, the official said, recorded a low of minus 12.0°C against minus 7.6°C on the previous night and the temperature was below normal by 4.4°C for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir. It equalled 3rd lowest minimum temperature since ten years in February as minus 13.5°C on 12-02 last year, minus 12.0°C on 4-02-2022 and minus 12.2°C on 1 February 2020 while the all-time record of minus 18.0°C on 04-02-1968.
Jammu, he said, recorded a minimum of 5.7°C and it was below normal by 2.7°C for the winter capital of J&K.
Banihal recorded a low of 6.8°C, Batote 3.8°C and Bhaderwah 5.2°C, he said.
Regarding forecast, the MeT official said, weather is expected to be generally dry with possibility of very light snow at isolated higher reaches.
From February 3-4, he said, there is possibility of light to moderate snow and rain (Jammu) at many places of J&K. From February 5th-12, generally dry weather is expected.
As ‘Chillai-Kalan’, the 40-day harsh period of winter ended on January 29, Kashmir is presently in the middle of 20-day-long winter period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that ends on February 19 and is followed by a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which starts from February 20 to March 1. (GNS)
