Weather Forecast in J&K till January 5.
Srinagar, Dec 31 (WD):
Cold Wave Grips Kashmir:
As of December 31, the Kashmir region is firmly in the grip of a cold wave, characterized by temperatures plummeting below freezing across various locations. Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3.4°C, indicating a drop from the previous night’s minus 2.8°C and standing 1.3°C below the normal for this time of the year.
Regional Temperature Variations:
Qazigund, considered the gateway town of Kashmir, reported a minimum of minus 2.6°C, below the previous night’s minus 2.0°C. Pahalgam, the renowned resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.4°C, slightly higher than the previous night’s minus 4.1°C but still 1.8°C above normal.
Kokernag in south Kashmir saw a minimum of minus 1.4°C, just marginally different from the previous night. In north Kashmir, Kupwara town recorded a low of minus 3.8°C, indicating a decrease from the previous night’s minus 2.3°C.
Gulmarg’s Temperature and Unusual Variation:
Gulmarg, the world-famous skiing resort in north Kashmir, reported a low of minus 3.5°C, compared to the previous night’s minus 2.5°C. Notably, the temperature was 2.7°C above the normal range for this destination.
Jammu and Other Regions:
Jammu, the winter capital of J&K, recorded a minimum temperature of 8.3°C, slightly above the previous night’s 7.7°C. Banihal marked minus 0.5°C, Batote 4.0°C, and Bhaderwah 1.4°C.
Chillai-Kalan and Subsequent Phases:
The Kashmir valley is currently experiencing the ‘Chillai-Kalan’ phase, a 40-day period of harsh winter that will persist until January 30. Following this, a 20-day period known as ‘Chillai-Khurd’ will occur between January 30 and February 19, followed by ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) from February 20 to March 1.
Weather Forecast:
The meteorological department predicts the possibility of light snow over higher reaches during the evening/night of December 31. From January 1-3, the weather is expected to be dry, and from January 4-5, generally cloudy and dry conditions are anticipated. Overall, no significant weather activity is expected until January 5.
