SRINAGAR, Dec 30: A severe cold wave has settled over Gulmarg and Pahalgam in Kashmir, where temperatures have dropped several degrees below freezing, while the rest of the Valley is enjoying some respite from the harsh winter, according to officials on Monday.
In Gulmarg, a well-known tourist destination for skiing in north Kashmir, the night temperature plummeted to minus 10 degrees Celsius, a decrease of 2 degrees from the previous night, according to the meteorological department.
Pahalgam, located in southern Kashmir and serving as the base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 9.2 degrees Celsius, down from minus 8.5 degrees Celsius the night before, as reported by the weather office.
Meanwhile, in Srinagar, temperatures dipped to minus 0.9 degrees Celsius, just over a degree above the normal range for this time of year.
Qazigund, the entry point to Kashmir, registered a minimum temperature of minus 2.8 degrees Celsius, while Konibal in Parampore observed a low of minus 1.4 degrees Celsius, according to weather reports.
Kupwara in north Kashmir registered a low of 0.1 degrees Celsius, making it the only location in the Valley to experience temperatures above freezing. Kokernag in southern Kashmir saw a minimum of minus 1.0 degrees Celsius.
The region is currently in the midst of ‘Chillai-Kalan’—the coldest period of winter—beginning from December 21.
During these 40 days of Chillai-Kalan, which end on January 30, the likelihood of snowfall is highest, contributing to a significant dip in temperatures. Even after this period, cold wave conditions are expected to persist.
Following Chillai-Kalan, there are two additional phases: a 20-day ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold).
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