Srinagar, Dec 25: Kashmir is currently in a grip of freezing temperatures and dense fog, significantly impacting traffic movement on Monday while the weather officials predicted light snowfall over the higher reaches on Wednesday.
The Meteorological Department (MeT) forecasted generally dry weather in Kashmir until December 26.
“Generally cloudy weather is expected with the possibility of light snow over isolated higher reaches on December 27. Generally, dry weather is expected from December 28 to 31,” the MeT officials said.
“Overall, there is no significant weather activity till the end of December.”
They said that from January 1 to 3, the weather is expected to be generally cloudy with light rain and snow at scattered places.
The MeT officials said that Srinagar recorded a low of minus 2.3 degrees Celsius, slightly below the previous night’s minus 2.1 degrees Celsius and 0.3 degrees Celsius below the normal for this time of the year.
Thick fog blanketed most parts of Kashmir, causing reduced visibility and inconvenience to the commuters.
In Gulmarg ski resort in Baramulla, the temperature recorded a low of minus 2.6 degrees Celsius, compared to the previous night’s minus 3.5 degrees Celsius, with the temperature being 3.2 degrees Celsius above normal for this renowned skiing destination in north Kashmir. Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 4.3 degrees Celsius, slightly above the previous night’s minus 3.9 degrees
Celsius and 0.7 degrees Celsius above normal.
Kokernag in south Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 1.6 degrees Celsius, Banihal recorded 6.2 degrees Celsius, Batote 5.9 degrees Celsius, and Bhaderwah 2.4 degrees Celsius. Qazigund recorded a minimum of
minus 2.6 degrees Celsius, and Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 3 degrees Celsius.
Jammu recorded a minimum of 7.3 degrees Celsius, which was below normal by 0.9 degrees Celsius compared to the previous night’s 9.6 degrees Celsius.
Kashmir is currently experiencing Chillai Kalan, a 40-day harsh winter period that will persist until January 29.
Following this, it would be succeeded by Chillai Khurd, a 20-day period from January 30 to February 18, and Chillai Bachha, a 10-day period from February 19 to February 28.