Srinagar, Jan 2 – The Kashmir valley is currently in the clutches of a severe cold wave, with the minimum temperatures persisting below freezing, as reported by the weather office on Tuesday.
A delicate layer of ice has formed over the Dal Lake’s surface, owing to the minimum temperature in Srinagar plummeting to minus 4.8 degrees Celsius on Monday night, according to officials. Residents residing in houseboats on the lake faced difficulties breaking through the icy layer as they navigated their boats toward the banks.
The extreme cold wave conditions have led to the freezing of water supply pipes in various areas of Kashmir. In Pahalgam, located in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district and serving as a key base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, the minimum temperature dropped to minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, down from the previous night’s reading of minus 5.7 degrees Celsius.
The officials reported a low of minus 4 degrees Celsius at the Gulmarg skiing resort in north Kashmir. Additionally, Qazigund recorded a low of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius, Kokernag settled at minus 2.7 degrees Celsius, and Kupwara recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4.6 degrees Celsius.
Kashmir has been experiencing an extended dry spell, with no precipitation anticipated over the next six days, resulting in a 79 per cent rainfall deficit for the month of December, as per officials. Most plain areas in Kashmir witnessed no snowfall, and the upper reaches received less snow than usual by the end of December.
The absence of cloud cover has contributed to a further drop in minimum temperatures across most parts, including Srinagar, officials added. The region is currently in the grip of ‘Chilla-i-Kalan,’ a 40-day period of harsh winter characterized by a severe cold wave, leading to the freezing of water bodies such as the Dal Lake and water supply lines across the valley.
During ‘Chilla-i-Kalan,’ the likelihood of snowfall is highest, particularly in the higher reaches, resulting in heavy snowfall. This period is set to conclude on January 31. Subsequently, the cold conditions will persist, transitioning into a 20-day ‘Chilla-i-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day ‘Chilla-i-Bachha’ (baby cold).
