SRINAGAR: Most parts of Kashmir, including Srinagar city, received a fresh spell of snowfall on Sunday as the Mercury stayed below the freezing point in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir for the second consecutive day. Snowfall was witnessed in several areas of Bandipora, Baramulla and Kupwara districts in north Kashmir and some parts of Budgam and Ganderbal districts in central Kashmir in the morning, the officials said.
Srinagar city and some areas in south Kashmir received snow late in the evening, they said.
The summer capital stayed in the grip of an intense cold wave with a maximum temperature of just 1.5 degrees Celsius recorded on Sunday.
The mercury has stayed below two degrees Celsius for the past 48 hours as the maximum temperature on Saturday was 1.2 degrees Celsius.
The night temperature in the valley fell with Kokernag town in South Kashmir freezing at minus 8.1 degrees Celsius, the officials said on Sunday.
In Srinagar, the mercury settled at a low of minus 2.5 degrees Celsius. On Saturday, the city recorded a minimum temperature of minus 2.2 degrees, the Met said.
Gulmarg, a tourist resort town known for skiing activities in north Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 4.0 degrees Celsius, down from the previous night’s minus 2.2 degrees.
Pahalgam, one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra in south Kashmir, registered a minimum of minus 3.2 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, logged a minimum temperature of minus 3.6 degrees Celsius while Konibal in Pampore town recorded a low of minus 3.5 degrees.
Kupwara in north Kashmir registered minus 2.8 degrees Celsius while Kokernag in south Kashmir recorded minus 8.1 degrees Celsius and was the coldest recorded place in the valley.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan‘ — the harshest period of winter — that began on December 21. During the 40 days of ‘Chillai-Kalan’, the chances of snowfall are the highest and the temperature drops considerably.
‘Chillai-Kalan’ ends on January 30. It is followed by a 20-day ‘Chillai-Khurd (small cold)’ and a 10-day ‘Chillai-Bachha (baby cold)’.
