Chillai Kalan’s Arrival: Unprecedented Cold Grips Srinagar with Record-Breaking Chill in 50 Years!
Chillai Kalan, a 40-day period marking the harshest winter phase in Kashmir, began on Saturday, with Srinagar recording its coldest December night in 50 years at minus 8.5 degrees Celsius, as reported by the meteorological department. The minimum temperatures in various parts of the valley also plummeted below freezing. Friday night saw temperatures in Srinagar drop from minus 6.2 degrees Celsius to the notable low, marking the coldest December night since 1974 and the third coldest since 1891. The city’s record low for December remains minus 12.8 degrees Celsius from December 13, 1934.
The severe cold caused parts of the renowned Dal Lake and multiple water supply lines to freeze. In South Kashmir, the tourist destination Pahalgam recorded a minimum of minus 8.6 degrees Celsius, while Gulmarg, a popular ski resort, faced minus 6.2 degrees Celsius. Konibal, located near Pampore town, registered the valley’s lowest temperature at minus 10.5 degrees Celsius. Other notable temperatures included minus 8.2 degrees in Qazigund, minus 7.2 degrees in Kupwara, its coldest December reading since 1998, and minus 5.8 degrees in Kokernag.
The meteorological office forecasts primarily dry weather until December 26, with light snowfall anticipated in the higher reaches on the nights of December 21-22 and again from the afternoon of December 27 to the morning of December 28. More snowfall in elevated areas is expected on New Year’s Eve, while isolated cold waves are likely to persist. Chillai Kalan concludes on January 31, succeeded by the 20-day ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and the 10-day ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold), continuing the cold wave in the region.
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/chillai-kalan-begins-in-kashmir-srinagar-sees-coldest-december-night-in-50-years-7305945
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Publish Date: 2024-12-22 11:14:00
