At -8.8°C, Srinagar sees coldest night in 30 years
Met officials say moderate snow and rain is likely at scattered places of J&K and Ladakh on February 2, 3
SRINAGAR: “Chillai Kalan”, the harshest 40-day winter period in Kashmir, ended on Sunday, breaking a decades-old record as Srinagar registered its lowest minimum temperature in 30 years, officials said.
Srinagar witnessed the lowest temperature of minus 8.8 degree Celsius on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, which is a record since the January of 1991. “Srinagar recorded minus 8.8 degree Celsius, lowest since 1991 when the mercury had dropped to as low as minus 11.8 degrees ,” said meteorologist from Srinagar’s IMD office Mohammad Hussain Mir.
Director, meteorological centre, Sonam Lotus, said, “In last 38 years, there have been 17 occasions when Srinagar recorded -8 degrees or less, of which 1991 remained the coldest and harshest winter with prolonged cold spell of nine days.”
The intense chill has made the life of residents more difficult in the Valley this winter.
Apart from routine power outages, the low temperatures have been freezing both water and road surfaces, making the commute difficult. Potable water has also become scarce. “Lately, water pipes and taps have been freezing during nights. We spend half of our days pouring hot water over frozen pipes. This year, Chillai Kalan has shown its true colours,” said Rafiq Bano, a homemaker from Old City.
At -13.1 deg C, Kokernag coldest place in Valley
Met centre director Sonam Lotus said there will be cloudy weather from February 1 to 4 with possibility of light snowThe fall at isolated places of J&K & Ladakh between January 31 and February 1.
“Light to moderate snow and rain is most likely at scattered places of J&K and Ladakh, mainly on Tuesday and Wednesday,” he added.
The fresh precipitation is expected to improve the minimum temperatures.
“From tomorrow morning and night, the temperatures will definitely improve by few notches,” said meteorologist Mohammad Hussain Mir.
weather office said that the coldest place in the Valley on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday was Kokernag in south Kashmir where the mercury plunged to minus 13.1 degrees Celsius, around 10 notches below normal.
The tourist resort of Pahalgam recorded minus 12 degrees, while the ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded minus 8 degrees.
In the union territory of Ladakh, Leh shivered at minus 14.1 degrees while Kargil was even colder at minus 17.4 degrees.
The coldest place of the country, Drass, recorded bonechilling minus 26.2 degrees Celsius temperature.
Meanwhile, all educational institutions will reopen in the Union Territory from February 1 and 25,000 pilgrims will be allowed at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine per day.
Cold wave continues to sweep Punjab, Haryana
Freezing cold conditions continued to persist in Punjab and Haryana on Sunday with minimum temperatures hovering close to zero degree Celsius at Bathinda, Halwara and Sirsa.
Bathinda in Punjab recorded a low of 0.6 degrees Celsius while Halwara reeled at a low of 0.7 degrees Celsius, meteorological department officials said here.
A piercing cold swept Sirsa in Haryana, which recorded a low of 0.8 degrees Celsius. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded a low of four degrees Celsius.