Srinagar: Despite a fall in the minimum night temperature in Kashmir Valley and an increase in Jammu city, the region continued to record above-normal temperatures on Saturday as the winter phase of Chillai-Bachi (mild cold) bids farewell.
A meteorological department official said Srinagar recorded a low of 6.4°C against 6.6°C on the previous night and it was above normal by 4.2°C for the summer capital.
In South Kashmir; Pahalgam recorded a low of 1.2°C against 1.7°C on the previous night and it was 3.5°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
While Kokernag recorded a low of 4.7°C against 4.8°C on the previous night (above normal by 3.8°C) Qazigund, logged 4.2°C against 5.6°C on the previous night and it was 3.3°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir.
In North Kashmir; Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 1.0°C against minus 0.6°C on the previous night and it was 4.2°C above normal for the world-famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.
Also, the mercury settled at 4.2°C in Kupwara – the same as on the previous night and it was 3.2°C above normal.
Pir Panjal’s Banihal recorded a low of 6.4°C (above normal by 0.9°C), Batote 9.2°C (above normal by 3.4°C), and china’s Bhadarwah had 7.0°C (4.9°C above normal).
Jammu recorded 13.2°C against 12.7°C on the previous night. It was 0.9°C above normal for J&K’s ‘winter capital’ and Katra 13.6°C (3.1°C above normal)
Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 2.8°C and minus 4.6°C respectively, the official added.
Regarding weather, he said it is likely to be “partly to generally cloudy” during the next 24 hours with an appreciable rise expected in day temperature. Clear weather is expected from March 5-12, the officials added.
The Chillai Kalan, the Chillai Khurd, and the Challai Bache are the three parts of the winter in Kashmir consisting of three months; Chillai-Kalan is the 40 days of harsh winter. Chillai-Kalan begins on December 21 and ends on January 31, next year. Chillai-Kalan is followed by a 20-day long Chillai-Khurd (small cold) that occurs between January 31 and February 19 and a 10-day long Chillai-Bachha (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 2.
This is the second consecutive winter when Kashmir valley reported scanty snowfall during the period of chilli-Kalan and early flowering.
(GNS)
