Srinagar, Dec 30: The residents in Kashmir experienced huge relief from the intense cold wave conditions as the mercury rose by several degrees across the valley and Ladakh region, even as the minimum temperature continued to settle below the freezing point, a MeT official said here Sunday.
Night temperature in Kashmir division, including Ladakh region, rose by several degrees Saturday night owing to a cloudy sky, providing huge relief to the residents from the intense cold wave conditions prevalent over the last few days, the official said.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 2.4 degrees Celsius Saturday night – an increase of nearly five degrees from minus 7.2 degrees Celsius on Friday night.
The official said Qazigund – the gateway town to the valley – in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 1.8 degrees Celsius – up from minus 6.2 degrees Celsius the Friday night.
The nearby Kokernag town registered a low of minus 2.7 degrees Celsius as against minus 5.8 degrees Celsius on the Friday night.
Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius Saturday night compared to minus 6.0 degrees Celsius Friday night, the official said.
The night temperature in Pahalgam, which serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 2.5 degrees Celsius Saturday night – up from minus 8.3 degrees Celsius on the Friday night.
The official said the ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4.0 degrees Celsius – an increase of three degrees from the previous night.
The night temperature in Leh town in Ladakh region of the state increased over five degrees from the Friday night’s minus 17.5 degrees Celsius to settle at a low of minus 12.2 degrees Celsius Saturday night, the official said.
He said Leh was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’ – the 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably.
‘Chillai-Kalan’ ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir. The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold).
However, the winter this season has been dry so far, although there was a spell of early snowfall in the valley in first and second week of November.
The prolonged dry spell has resulted in an increase in common ailments like cough, cold and other respiratory problems, especially among children and elderly.
The weatherman has predicted light rain or snowfall at isolated places in the valley and Ladakh region on Sunday and at scattered places across the state over three days from Tuesday.
