Srinagar, Jan 10 — The continuing dry spell during Chillai Kalan (Shishur Mas) is reshaping Kashmir’s winter cold map, with Srinagar Airport featuring among the Valley’s five coldest places.
Meteorologists said the persistence of clear skies and dry weather is allowing night temperatures to drop sharply across the region, a pattern reshuffling Kashmir’s winter map.
According to data compiled by Kashmir Weather Watch, Shopian logged a minimum of –8.2°C, making it the coldest place in the Valley, followed closely by Pulwama at –8.0°C and Pahalgam at –7.8°C. Sopore recorded –7.6°C, while Srinagar Airport figured among the top five coldest locations at –7.2°C.
Elsewhere in the Valley, Anantnag and Awantipora both recorded –7.0°C, Gulmarg settled at –6.8°C, Qazigund and Sonamarg at –6.3°C each, and Srinagar city at –5.7°C. Baramulla recorded –5.8°C, Bandipora –5.3°C, while Kokernag was relatively milder at –4.0°C.
In the Jammu region, Jammu city logged 3.6°C, Jammu Airport 3.0°C and Katra 5.2°C, though higher reaches like Bhaderwah dipped to –2.8°C and Banihal to –0.4°C.
The trans-Himalayan belt of Ladakh remained in deep freeze, with Drass recording a biting –24.6°C, the lowest in the region. Nyoma fell to –20.3°C, Padum to –19.6°C, Hanle to –17.0°C, and Leh to –14.4°C.