Biting Cold Grips Kashmir Valley: Pahalgam Records -3.9°C, Srinagar Chills Below Zero
Jammu and Kashmir experienced a drop in night temperatures, plunging below freezing point on Sunday. The frigid temperatures have taken their toll on Kashmir’s lakes, with icy formations partially freezing parts of the iconic Dal Lake in Srinagar.
As the mercury plummeted, the struggle for access to essential resources became apparent, prompting residents to resort to lighting small fires around drinking water pipes to thaw them. The harsh conditions have presented significant challenges, necessitating creative solutions for coping with the freezing environment.
According to Meteorological Department officials, Srinagar recorded a low of minus 2.1 degrees Celsius, compared to 1.2 degrees Celsius the previous night, remaining slightly above the normal range of 0.1 degree Celsius for this time of the year.
Gulmarg ski resort in north Kashmir reported a low of minus 3.5 degrees Celsius, down from minus 1.5 degrees Celsius the previous night, with temperatures exceeding the normal range by 2.3 degrees Celsius.
Pahalgam, the health resort in south Kashmir, saw a low of minus 3.9 degrees Celsius, a drop from 0.2 degrees Celsius the previous night, with temperatures exceeding the normal range by 1.1 degrees Celsius.
Kokernag marked a minimum of minus 1.1 degrees Celsius, a slight decrease from 1.2 degrees Celsius the previous night, but temperatures remained 1 degree Celsius above normal for the south Kashmir picnic resort.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, registered a minimum of minus 2 degrees Celsius, consistent with 1.4 degrees Celsius from the previous night, maintaining a normal temperature level.
In north Kashmir, Kupwara town recorded a low of minus 2.7 degrees Celsius, slightly below the 1.3 degrees Celsius the previous night, but only by 0.1 degree Celsius, maintaining near-normal conditions.
Jammu, recorded a minimum of 9.6 degrees Celsius, a decrease from 10.5 degrees Celsius from the previous night, falling below normal by 1.4 degrees Celsius.
Kashmir is currently in the grip of Chillai Kalan, the 40-day harsh winter period characterised by a severe cold wave, causing a significant drop in temperatures and leading to the freezing of water bodies, including Dal Lake and water supply lines in various parts of Kashmir.
