SRINAGAR: There was slight rise in night temperature on Tuesday as Srinagar recorded a low of minus 2.4°C. A meteorological department official said that the temperature was 0.5°C below normal for the summer capital of J&K for this time of the year. He said the Srinagar saw minimum temperature of minus 4.3 °C on previous night. Qazigund recorded a minimum of minus 2.6°C against minus 4.2°C on the previous night, he said. The minimum temperature was 0.5°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, the MeT official said. Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 4.4°C against minus 5.3°C on the previous night and it was 2.6°C above normal for the famous resort in south Kashmir. Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum of minus 1.2°C against minus 2.1°C on the previous night and the temperature was above normal by 2.8°C for the place, the official said. Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4.5°C against minus 5.0°C on the previous night and it was 1.8°C below normal there, the official said. Gulmarg, the official said, recorded a low of minus 4.6°C against minus 4.0°C on the previous night and the temperature was 3.2°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir. Jammu, he said, recorded a minimum of 5.1°C against 4.3°C on previous night, and it was below normal by 2.3°C for the winter capital of J&K. Banihal recorded a low of minus 0.0°C, Batote 2.1°C and Bhaderwah 0.6°C, he said. Kashmir valley is under ‘Chillai-Kalan’, the 40-day harsh period of winter, which will end on January 30. However it does not mean an end to the winter. It is followed by a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that occurs between January 30 and February 19 and a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1. The MeT official said that from January 10-14, generally dry weather is expected. “Overall no significant weather activity is expected till January 15.”
