Fresh snowfall likely in Kashmir

Overcast conditions in Kashmir on Sunday brightened the prospects of fresh snowfall. "Light to moderate snowfall is expected in most parts of Kashmir over the next 48 hours, " an official of the MET department said here.

He said overcast skies have resulted in warmer than expected night temperature with Srinagar recording a low of minus 1 degrees Celsius last night. The official said the ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded the low of minus 10.5 degrees Celsius last night – four degrees down from Saturday.

The night temperature at Pahalgam resort, which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 9.4 degrees Celsius – nearly seven degrees down from minus 2.5 degrees Celsius yesterday, he said. The official said Qazigund – the gateway town to the valley - in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 0.6 degree Celsius – up over six degrees from the previous night's minus 7 degrees Celsius.

Kokernag town, also in the south, recorded a low of minus 4.9 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara, in the north, registered the minimum of minus 4 degrees Celsius, the official said. The mercury in Leh, in the Ladakh Union territory, settled at a low of minus 16.4 degrees Celsius.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of 'Chillai-Kalan' - the 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably. 'Chillai-Kalan' began on December 21 and ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir. The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day long 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold).