Minimum temp drops, but sunshine brings relief to people in Kashmir, Ladakh

The minimum temperature across Kashmir and Ladakh decreased on Monday but in some respite to the residents, the weather remained dry and clouds made way for sunshine, a Meteorological Department official said.

The weather remained dry in Kashmir and the night temperature went down across the valley and the Ladakh region, the MeT official said here, adding the cloud cover receded, allowing sunlight to reach the ground in the morning.

He said Srinagar recorded the minimum temperature of 0.8 degree Celsius on Sunday night down from 1.2 degrees Celsius the previous night.

The night temperature in the city was 2.8 degrees above the normal for this part of the season, the official said.

The minimum temperature in Drass plummeted about six degrees from minus 21.6 degrees Celsius a day earlier to settle at a low of minus 27.4 degrees Celsius, the official said.

The ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 8.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday night down from the previous night's minus 7.6 degrees Celsius, he said.

The night temperature at Pahalgam resort, which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 10.8 degrees Celsius four degrees down from minus 6.8 degrees Celsius a day earlier, he said.

Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district was the coldest place in the valley.

The official said Qazigund the gateway town to the valley - in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 2 degrees Celsius a decrease of around two degrees from 0.2 degree Celsius a day before.

Kokernag town, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara in north Kashmir registered a minimum of minus 2.5 degrees Celsius, the official said.

He said Leh town in the Ladakh Union territory recorded a low of minus 16.9 degrees Celsius seven degrees down from minus 9.9 degrees Celsius on the previous night.

The MeT office has forecast mainly dry weather for the week ahead.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of 'Chillai-Kalan' - the 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably.

'Chillai-Kalan' began on December 21 and ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir. The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold).