'Chillai-Kalan' sets in, 40-day harshest winter starts in Kashmir valley
What's the story
The 40-day harshest winter period in Kashmir, known in the local parlance as 'Chillai-Kalan', began on a dry note today, even as cold wave conditions continue to prevail in the Valley and Ladakh region as the minimum temperature settled several notches below the freezing point.
MeT officials confirmed it by adding, during this period "snowfalls are most frequent and maximum temperatures also drop considerably."
Duration
'Chillai-Kalan' is followed by 'Chillai-Khurd' and 'Chillai-Bachha'
The 'Chillai-Kalan' period ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir.
The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day long 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold).
The MET department officials said while the weather remained dry across Kashmir, temperatures dipped at most places last night and settled several notches below the freezing point.
Records
Srinagar, only place in valley where temperature rose last night
The minimum temperature last night was also several points below the normal for this part of the season in the Valley, said officials.
Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, was the only place in the valley where the night temperature rose last night.
They added the minimum temperature in the city was around three notches below the normal.
Data
Srinagar recorded a low of -4.4 degrees Celsius last night
The city recorded a low of -4.4 degrees Celsius last night compared to -4.9 degrees Celsius the previous night, officials said.
Qazigund, the gateway town to the Valley in south Kashmir, recorded a low of -4.7 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag town registered a low of -4.0 degrees Celsius and Kupwara a low of -5.8 degrees Celsius last night, they further added.
Temperatures
Pahalgam, base-camp of Amarnath yatra, recorded -7.5 degrees Cesius
The night temperature in Pahalgam, one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, settled at a low of -7.5 degrees Celsius last night, down from the previous night's -6.8 degrees Celsius.
The ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of -6.0 degrees Celsius last night, down from the previous night's -5.4 degrees Celsius, the officials said.
Prediction
MET office has forecast mainly dry weather for week ahead
The normal for this time of the winter in the twin resorts is -4.4 degrees Celsius and -4.8 degrees Celsius respectively, said officials.
Leh district of Ladakh region recorded a low of -12.7 degrees Celsius last night.
The nearby Kargil registered the minimum temperature of -15.1 degrees Celsius last night.
The MET office has forecast mainly dry weather for the week ahead.