Slight respite from biting cold in Kashmir; Kargil coldest

There was some respite from intense cold wave conditions in Kashmir division, including Ladakh region as the minimum temperature rose by two to six degrees at various places.
Kargil, in Ladakh region, was the coldest recorded place in the state with a low of minus 13.0 degree Celsius, up by three degrees from minus 16.0 degree Celsius the previous night, a MeT department spokeswoman said.
Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 2.2 degree Celsius, up by 2.6 degrees from the previous night's low of minus 4.8 degrees, she said.
Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir Valley in south, recorded a low of minus 4.4 degree Celsius, more than a degree up from minus 5.8 degrees Celsius the previous night.

The mercury in Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir, which serves as a base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, registered a low of minus 5.0 degrees, up from the previous night's minus 6.6 degree Celsius, she said.
The minimum temperature in the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg settled at minus 1.6 degrees, up by 1.4 degrees from previous night's 3.0 degree Celsius, the spokeswoman said.

The night temperatures in Kupwara, in north Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 3.6 degree Celsius while Kokernag, in south, recorded the minimum of minus 2.1 degree Celsius-- one degree up from the previous night's minus 3.1 degree Celsius, she said.

Leh, in the frontier Ladakh region, recorded a minimum temperature of minus of 10.2 degree Celsius, six degrees higher than the previous night's minus 16.2 degree Celsius, the spokeswoman said.
According to the MeT office, fresh western disturbance is likely to affect Jammu and Kashmir from January 12, which could result in isolated to scattered rain or snow.
Kashmir Valley is currently under the grip of "Chillai- Kalan" -- the 40-day harshest winter period, which began on December 21.
The chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent during this period and the weather remains cold during as the day temperature also dips drastically, freezing most of the water bodies including the famous Dal Lake.

Though "Chillai-Kalan" would end on January 31, winter continues after that. The 40-day period would be followed by a 20-day long "Chillai Khurd" (small cold) and a 10-day long "Chillai Bachha" (baby cold).