Severe cold wave tightened its grip across Kashmir on Monday night, with Gulmarg recording sub-zero temperatures close to the season’s lowest, while most other stations also witnessed a sharp drop in mercury.
The Meteorological Department has forecast a significant fall in minimum temperatures across Kashmir, with mercury expected to remain 2–3°C below normal till January 10. Thereafter, minimum temperatures are likely to rise gradually by 1–2°C, bringing some relief from the prevailing cold wave conditions.
According to data of MeT, Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4.0°C, compared to minus 3.6°C the preceding night.
Gulmarg, the coldest place in the Valley, registered minus 8.6°C, slightly higher than minus 8.8°C recorded the previous night, which marked the coldest night of the season at the tourist resort.
The hill resort of Pahalgam saw a significant dip, with the mercury settling at minus 6.8°C, down from minus 4.8°C a night earlier. In south Kashmir, Pulwama recorded minus 5.4°C, Shopian minus 6.0°C, and Qazigund minus 3.0°C, all colder than the preceding night.
Kupwara in north Kashmir also experienced intensified cold, with the minimum temperature falling to minus 3.1°C, compared to minus 1.8°C the previous night.
The MeT predicted partly to generally cloudy weather on January 6, with the possibility of light snowfall over isolated higher reaches of north and central Kashmir. From January 7 to 15, the weather is expected to remain partly cloudy, a trend likely to continue on January 16 and 18 as well.
The Kashmir Valley is currently passing through Chillai Kalan, the harshest phase of winter, which began on December 21 and lasts for 40 days. The onset of Chillai Kalan was marked by fresh snowfall in the higher reaches, including popular tourist destinations such as Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg.
