Cold wave deepens in Kashmir as Chillai-Kalan nears, temperatures dip below freezing

After a brief respite, cold conditions intensified in Kashmir as the night temperatures dropped and settled below the freezing point at most places in the valley, officials said on Friday.

Pulwama town was the coldest recorded place with a minimum of minus 4 degrees Celsius on Thursday night, they said.

Srinagar recorded a low of minus 2.1 degrees Celsius, two degrees down from the previous night's 0.2 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

A thick layer of fog engulfed Srinagar and most other parts of the valley, especially near water bodies, during the early hours.

In south Kashmir, Pahalgam, one of the base camps for the Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 2.6 degrees Celsius. Kokernag and Qazigund recorded a low of 0.5 degrees and minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, they said.

The temperature in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at minus 2.8 degrees Celsius, they said.

In Gulmarg, the minimum temperature settled above the freezing point at 1.0 degrees Celsius, the weather officials said.

The Kashmir Valley is bracing for the onset of Chillai-Kalan on December 21 as chances of snowfall are with highest in the period, with temperatures dropping sharply across the valley. Chillai-Kalan ends on January 30.

So far this winter, the valley has not witnessed any major wet spell, officials said.

The dry weather so far has led to an increase in ailments like cough and the common cold, but the meteorological department (MeT) has forecast a spell of wet weather on December 20-21, coinciding with the onset of 'Chillai-Kalan'.

Moderate to heavy snowfall is expected in the higher reaches of Kashmir, while light to moderate precipitation may affect the plains, ending the dry spell, the MeT said.