Intense cold prevails in Kashmir

Kashmir continued to reel under extreme cold conditions as the mercury stayed several degrees below the freezing point across the valley last night, officials said today.
In Srinagar, the mercury showed a marginal upward movement to settle at minus 4.3 degrees Celsius last night, an official of the MET department said.
Bright sunshine during the days has led to cold wave intensifying in the valley while many stagnant water bodies have a thin layer of ice formed every night.
Leh in Ladakh region was the coldest recorded place in the state last night as the minimum temperature fell slightly from yesterday's minus 14.5 degrees Celsius to minus 14.7 degrees, the official said.

The nearby Kargil town was much warmed but the minimum temperature was 6.1 degrees below the freezing point, he said.
The official said the mercury in Qazigund in south Kashmir settled at a low of minus 4.6 degrees Celsius.

Kokernag town recorded a low of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius while Kupwara town in north Kashmir registered a low of minus 4.3 degrees Celsius last night, he said.
The official said the mercury at the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir settled at a low of minus 6.0 degrees Celsius.
The night temperature in Pahalgam - the famous health resort which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra recorded a low of minus 6.6 degrees Celsius, he said.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of Chillai-Kalan, a 40-day harshest period of winter, when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably.
It ends on January 31 next year, but the cold wave continues even after that in the valley.
The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long Chillai- Khurd (small cold) and a 10-day long Chillai-Bachha (baby cold).