Chillai Kalan starts in Kashmir: Kashmir’s coldest 40-day period, began from Saturday. This time Srinagar witnessed its coldest December night in the last 50 years when the temperature dropped to minus 8.5 degrees Celsius, according to the Meteorological Department.
In other areas of the Valley also, the minimum temperature fell well below the freezing point. The temperature in Srinagar on Friday night was minus 8.5 degrees Celsius, which went further down to minus 6.2 degrees Celsius on Thursday night, informed the Meteorological Department.
Srinagar’s coldest December night was in 1974, when the city’s temperature dropped to minus 10.3 degrees Celsius, and this was the third coldest night since 1891.
Srinagar’s lowest temperature of the month was minus 12.8 degrees Celsius on December 13, 1934.
Due to this intense cold, many water bodies froze, including water from some parts of Dal Lake, and water supply lines to many areas of the city and the valley were also cut off.
Chillai Kalan starts in Kashmir: Chillai Kalan, Kashmir’s harshest cold period lasts for 40 days.
Srinagar: Chillai Kalan, which is a 40-day period of Kashmir’s coldest and harshest weather, has begun. According to the Meteorological Department, Srinagar witnessed its coldest December night, which was in the last five decades, when the temperature dropped to minus 8.5 degrees Celsius.
The temperature in Srinagar on Friday night was minus 8.5 degrees Celsius, which was much lower than the previous night’s minus 6.2 degrees Celsius.
This was Srinagar’s coldest December night after 1974, when the temperature went up to minus 10.3 degrees Celsius, and it was the third coldest night since 1891.
Srinagar’s lowest temperature this month was minus 12.8 degrees Celsius on December 13, 1934.
This bitter cold froze many water bodies, including some parts of Dal Lake, and water supply lines to many areas of the city and the valley were also cut off.
Pahalgam, a famous tourist resort in South Kashmir and also a base camp for the Amarnath Yatra, had a temperature of minus 8.6 degrees Celsius. Gulmarg, a famous ski resort, had a temperature of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius.
Konibal, a small village outside Pampore town, was the coldest station in the valley with a temperature of minus 10.5 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund had a minimum temperature of minus 8.2 degrees Celsius, Kupwara had minus 7.2 degrees Celsius and Kokernag had minus 5.8 degrees Celsius.
This was Kupwara’s coldest December temperature since 1998 and its ninth lowest temperature this month.
The Meteorological office has forecast mainly dry weather until 26 December, but light snowfall is likely in the higher regions of the valley on the night of 21-22 December.
There is a possibility of light snowfall in the higher regions from the afternoon of 27 December to the morning of 28 December. The weather is expected to remain dry on 29-30 December, but light snowfall is possible in the higher regions on New Year’s Eve.
The weather office says that the cold wave will continue for a few more days in some areas.
Chances of snowfall are highest during the 40 days of ‘Chillai-Kalan’ and the temperature drops considerably.
‘Chillai-Kalan’ will end on 31 January 2025, but the cold wave will continue in the valley because after this there is 20 days of ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and 10 days of ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold).
