Jammu Kashmir, Jan 15 : Night temperatures across Kashmir witnessed a slight rise but continued to remain well below the freezing point, officials said on Thursday, as the Valley remains gripped by the harsh winter phase of Chilla-i-Kalan.
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3.9 degrees Celsius on Wednesday night, compared to minus 5.2 degrees Celsius a night earlier. Despite the marginal increase, intense cold conditions have led to the freezing of several water bodies, including parts of the iconic Dal Lake.
Shopian in south Kashmir emerged as the coldest place in the Valley, recording a low of minus 6.1 degrees Celsius, slightly higher than minus 7.5 degrees Celsius recorded the previous night. Pulwama also logged a minimum of minus 6.1 degrees Celsius.
Pahalgam, a key tourist destination and one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra, registered a minimum temperature of minus 5.0 degrees Celsius. Gulmarg, the famous ski resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, recorded minus 3.2 degrees Celsius, while Sonamarg in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district saw the mercury drop to minus 5.8 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund, the gateway town of the Valley, recorded a low of minus 4.7 degrees Celsius. Kokernag experienced relatively milder conditions at minus 1.1 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara recorded minus 4.9 degrees Celsius.
The Kashmir Valley is currently experiencing Chilla-i-Kalan, the 40-day harshest winter period marked by extreme cold and the highest probability of snowfall. The period, which began on December 21, will conclude on January 30.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast that a western disturbance is approaching the region and is likely to impact Kashmir from January 16, potentially bringing fresh snowfall and further cold conditions.