Srinagar, Jan 19: Kashmir experienced a slight respite from the ongoing cold wave, with minimum temperatures across the valley rising by a few degrees, officials said on Monday.
Srinagar recorded a low of -1.2°C on Sunday night, up from -4.7°C the previous night. Sonamarg in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district remained the coldest place in the valley at -8.3°C.
In south Kashmir, Shopian and Pulwama recorded lows of -4.7°C and -5.1°C respectively, while Pahalgam, a base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, settled at -1.8°C. Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district registered a low of -3.5°C.
Other valley towns recorded cold night temperatures as well: Qazigund -2.4°C, Kokernag -0.4°C, and Kupwara -1.6°C, officials added.
The valley is currently in the midst of ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, a 40 day period of extreme cold that began on December 21, 2025, and ends on January 30, 2026. During this phase, night temperatures often plunge several degrees below freezing, and the likelihood of snowfall is highest.