Weather woes to continue, Chilai Kalan to end on Saturday in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 27: Weather woes to continue though the 40-day-long harshest period of winter “Chilai Kalan” will end on Saturday, a day before fresh Western Disturbance (WD) will hit the region which could result in isolated rain and snow from January 31.
The famed ski resort of Gulmarg, where hundreds of skiers, local and outside the state tourists, are enjoying on world class-snow slopes, continued to freeze after the minimum temperature witnessed further dip and settled at minus 12 degree against yesterday’s minus 11.5 degree, which was four notches below normal.
A Met department spokesman said on Wednesday that weather will remain dry in the Jammu and Kashmir with morning mist in the plains during the next 24 hours. There will be no large change in the weather during the subsequent 48 hours, he said.
Meanwhile, the harshest period of winter “Chilai Kalan” which commenced from December 21st, 2020 will end on January 30 followed by 20 day-long Chilai Khurd and 10 day-long Chilai Bacha.
This year the mercury remained below normal during Chilai Kalan and on January 14, Srinagar recorded coldest night at minus 8.4 degree which was coldest in more than 25 years with the result major parts of the Dal Lake were frozen and youth could see playing cricket and ice hockey while tourists and locals taking photographs. In 1991, Srinagar witnessed a low of minus 11.8 degree minimum temperature.
However, the lowest ever minimum temperature was recorded on January 31, 1893 when the mercury had plummeted to minus 14.4 degree.
Frozen snow could still be seen on both sides of majority roads, particularly lanes and bylanes and interior areas in the valley, including Srinagar, due to sub zero temperature. Snow was also present on roof tops and open fields.
The summer capital, Srinagar, recorded slight improvement in the minimum temperature though it was still below normal. Against yesterday's minus 2.4 degree, it was minus 2 degree which was a notch below normal. Parts of the Lake, particularly in the interior, remained frozen. The maximum temperature on Tuesday in Srinagar was 5.2 degree, 2.3 notches below normal.
The Met spokesman said the sky would be partly cloudy with morning mist in Srinagar and the maximum temperatures would be around 6 degree and minus 2 degree respectively during the next 24 hours.
Pahalgam, famed health resort in south Kashmir witnessed further drop in the minimum temperature and settled at minus 7.7 degree against yesterdays minus 7.1 degree, 1.7 degree below normal.
Tourist resort of Kokernag with minus 8.3 degree minimum temperature was coldest in south Kashmir. At Qazigund, gateway of Kashmir the minimum temperature was minus 4.4 degree and drivers were seen struggling to start their vehicles.