Srinagar Endures Frigid Minus 5.3 Degrees as Cold Wave Strengthens in J&K
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Srinagar, Dec 17 (NationPress) The minimum temperature in Srinagar city fell to a frigid minus 5.3 degrees Celsius on Tuesday as a severe cold wave gripped Jammu and Kashmir, fueled by winds originating from the snow-draped mountains.
Officials from the MET department reported that the temperature dipped to minus 5.3 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, slightly higher than the minus 5.4 degrees recorded on December 10, which was previously the coldest temperature of the season.
According to Mukhtar Ahmad, director of the local MET department, “Cold and dry weather is anticipated to persist until the evening of December 21, after which a weak Western Disturbance may lead to snowfall in the higher elevations.”
A Western Disturbance refers to an extratropical storm originating in the Mediterranean Sea that brings precipitation to India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
The Rabi crop significantly relies on the Western Disturbance for the timely rainfall necessary for growth.
On Tuesday, Gulmarg recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4 and Pahalgam saw minus 6.8 degrees. Jammu city experienced a temperature of 4.9, Katra 6.7, Batote 1.5, Banihal minus 3.4, and Bhaderwah minus 0.8 degrees Celsius.
The period known as ‘Chillai Kalan’, which lasts for 40 days, begins on December 21 and concludes on January 30. During this time, many water bodies partially freeze, causing cold winds to sweep into the mainland, intensifying the chill in the Valley.
During ‘Chillai Kalan’, Kashmiris typically wear the loose tweed garment called the ‘Pheran’, under which they carry an earthen firepot known as the ‘Kangri’, woven in a willow basket and filled with embers to keep warm.
Recently, the MET department forecasted that the cold wave conditions are likely to intensify in Jammu and Kashmir, issuing a warning for light snowfall in the higher altitudes on December 22.
