Srinagar, Dec 12 (NationPress) The elevated areas of Jammu and Kashmir witnessed new snowfall on Thursday, as the minimum temperature showed noticeable improvement, with Srinagar city registering -0.5 degrees Celsius as the lowest reading.

New snowfall was reported in Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Zojila Pass, Doodpathri, and various other locations due to the overnight cloud cover that raised the nighttime temperature.

Officials from the Meteorological (MeT) department indicated that the cloud cover has contributed to the betterment of minimum temperatures across the Kashmir Valley.

The MeT department has predicted that there will be no significant changes in weather conditions in the union territory until December 20.

Minimum temperatures recorded include Srinagar at -0.5, Gulmarg at -5.2, and Pahalgam at -4.6 degrees Celsius.

Jammu city noted a minimum temperature of 6.8, Katra at 7.4, Batote at 5.3, Banihal at 3.9, and Bhaderwah at 2.9 degrees Celsius.

The morning chill, combined with frost, kept many residents of Kashmir indoors during the early parts of the day, resulting in reduced pedestrian and vehicular activity in Srinagar this morning.

The Srinagar-Leh highway has been closed to general traffic due to heavy snowfall in the Zojila Pass area.

The 40-day-long period of severe winter known as 'Chillai Kalan' will commence on December 21 and conclude on January 30. During this time, the disparity between minimum and maximum temperatures decreases, intensifying the chill.

Water bodies, including lakes, rivers, and streams, tend to freeze partially during Chillai Kalan, hindering boat navigation in local waters.

For centuries, the people of Kashmir have depended on the traditional earthen firepot, known as 'Kangri', which is woven into a willow basket and filled with embers to combat the winter cold.

Typically kept beneath the loose tweed overgarment called 'Pheran', the Kangri is regarded as the locals' best defense against the severe winter chill.

As electricity remains unreliable due to frequent outages, locals often revert to age-old methods to endure the harsh winter conditions of Kashmir.