With the minimum temperature dropping to 0.2 degrees Celsius on Friday, Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar city recorded the coldest night of the season so far, while the mercury fell below the freezing point in Gulmarg and Pahalgam hill stations.
The Meteorological (MeT) Department officials said, “Gulmarg recorded minus 2.6 and Pahalgam minus 3 as the minimum temperature today. Due to the recent snowfall in the mountains surrounding the Valley and a clear night sky is expected for the next 10 days, the night temperatures are expected to drop further in Kashmir.”
Due to the drop in temperatures, people have taken to woollens and the Kangri, a traditional Kashmiri earthen pot encased in wicker and filled with hot embers.
Winter dresses like the tweed overgarment called the ‘Pheran’ and woollen jerseys are worn by locals to avoid catching a cold. As winter progresses further, the layers of woollens, including mufflers and caps, are going to increase.
A feeble autumn sun provides some relief to baskers during the day, but chilly winds blowing into the Valley from snowclad mountains impede the capacity of the Sun to warm the surroundings.
The coldest part of winter is the 40-day-long ‘Chillai Kalan’ that starts every year on December 21 and ends on January 30.
Most water bodies of the Valley freeze partially during this period as extremely slippery road conditions force commuters and motorists to start the day after the morning hours are over, and the temperatures improve marginally during the day.
Drinking water taps freeze at most places during the 40-day-long ‘Chillai Kalan’, and people are seen lighting small fires around the water taps to de-freeze them in the mornings.
Jammu city had 11.6 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature on Friday. Mata Vaishno Devi base camp town, Katra, had 12.1, Batote 6.1, Banihal 8.8 and Bhaderwah 4.5 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature.