Severe cold wave continues unabated in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Thursday as the meteorological (MET) office forecast another spell of snow and rain on February 2 and 3.
“Dry weather is likely to continue in J&K and Ladakh till January 31 after which we are expecting a spell of snow and rain of light intensity on February 2 and 3.
“Improvement in both minimum and maximum temperatures is expected after January 31,” an official of the MET department said.
The cold wave sweeping Kashmir intensified since last night with Srinagar recording a low of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius against minus 2.0°C on the previous night.
The minimum temperatures have consistently remained far below normal this season.
On January 14, Srinagar witnessed the season’s coldest night at minus 8.4°C which was the chilliest one in more than 25 years. In 1991, Srinagar witnessed a low of minus 11.8°C while the lowest ever temperature was recorded on 31 January 1893 when the mercury had plummeted to minus 14.4 degrees Celsius.
Mercury settled at minus 12.3°C in Pahalgam against minus 7.7°C on the previous night in the world-famous health resort.
Qazigund, the gateway town of J&K, recorded a low of minus 10.5°C against 4.4°C on the previous night while Kokernag recorded a minimum of minus 10.7°C against 8.3°C on the earlier night.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 13.4°C against 12.0°C earlier night, the official said.
The mercury settled at minus 2.2°C in the in Kupwara against minus 2.0°C on the previous night, the official said.
Kashmir is in the middle Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day winter period which commenced on December 21 and ends on January 31. The period is considered the harshest of the winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum.
The cold wave, however, continues even after that in Kashmir with a 20-day-long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day-long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold). The weatherman has forecast mainly dry weather with morning mist for the next 24 hours. Scattered rains and snow has been forecast from January 31 onwards.
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