‘Chilai Kalan’ draws to a close, brings relief from cold to Valley
Fresh snowfall in Gulmarg, Pahalgam and higher reaches; Srinagar & plains of Kashmir receive intermittent rain
There was fresh snowfall in the higher reaches of Kashmir, including the tourist resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam, while the mercury stayed above freezing point at most places today.
The day marked the end of ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day harshest phase of winter. Many areas in the plains of the Kashmirvalley, including the summer capital, received intermittent rain.
The state’s Meteorological Department forecast mainly dry weather for the week ahead. Around one foot of snowfall was recorded in the famous north Kashmir ski resort of Gulmarg since Saturday.
A weather official said the minimum temperature at the ski resort, the star attraction for tourists visiting the Valley during winter, went slightly up, from Saturday night’s minus 6.5 degree Celsius to minus 6 degrees.
The hill resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir, serving as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, received 2 cm of snowfall. Mercury plunged from 0.3 degree Celsius on Saturday night to settle at a low of minus 2.3 degrees.
There were reports of fresh snowfall in many other areas in thehigher reaches of theValley even though there was relief from the coldin several areas as the mercury stayed above freezing point.
Many places in the plains of the Valley, including Srinagar, experienced intermittent rain. Srinagar recorded a low of 2.8 degrees -– an increase by a notch from Saturday night’s 1.8 degree Celsius.
The night temperature in Qazigund, the gateway town to the Kashmir valley, dropped from 2.6 degree Celsius to settle at 1.8 degrees.
The north Kashmir town of Kupwara recorded a low of 0.3 degree Celsius, the official said, adding that Kokernag in south Kashmir saw the mercury settle at 0.9 degree Celsius.
The night temperature in Leh in Ladakh region went down four notches from Saturday night’s minus 7.3 degree Celsius to settle at minus 11.3 degrees, the official said.
‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day harshest period of winter, began on December 21 and ended today. It is the period of winter when the chance of snowfall is the maximum.
This 40-day period is followed by a 20-day ‘Chillai Khurd’ (small cold) and 10-day ‘Chillai Bachha’ (baby cold). — PTI
