Srinagar: The 40-day period of harshest winter in Kashmir Valley, known as 'Chillai-Kalan', began today with a cold morning, even as the weather office predicted snowfall later in the afternoon.
"We are expecting light to moderate snowfall in the higher reaches of Kashmir Valley like Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Shopian, Kupwara and Pahalgam later this afternoon," Sonam Lotus, Director of the MeT Office here, said.
There is also a possibility of light snowfall followed by rain in Srinagar during the night, he said. Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3.9 degrees Celsius, almost a degree down from the previous night's minus 3.0 degrees Celsius.
The ski-resort of Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 7.0 degrees Celsius, same as the previous night. The mercury in Pahalgam hill resort, which serves as a base camp during the annual Amarnath yatra, settled at a low of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, as against minus 7.3 degrees Celsius the previous night.
Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir Valley, recorded a low of minus 3.2 degrees Celsius, compared to the previous night's minus 4.8 degrees Celsius. Kokernag, in south Kashmir, which recorded a low of minus 4.1 degrees Celsius the previous night, registered an increase of two degrees in the night temperature to settle at a low of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius.
Kupwara in north Kashmir also recorded a rise of two degrees in the night temperature as the mercury settled at a low of minus 3.1 degrees Celsius compared to the previous night's minus 5.2 degrees Celsius.
Leh remained the coldest place in the state and registered a temperature of minus 12.4 degrees Celsius, against minus 11.2 degrees Celsius the previous night. The nearby Kargil town registered the same minimum temperature as the previous night's low of minus 11.2 degrees Celsius.
Chillai-Kalan, which begins with Winter Solstice on December 21, is the period when the chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent. The winter games at the skiing resort of Gulmarg are also held during this period.
This year, however, the cold wave in the Valley began earlier than the normal period of 'Chillai Kalan', with the high altitude areas including Gulmarg recording the first snowfall at the fag end of October.
Though 'Chillai-Kalan' would end on January 31, the winter continues after that. The 40-day harshest period would be followed by a 20-day long "Chillai Khurd" (small cold) and a 10-day long "Chillai Bachha" (baby cold).
