Cold wave in Kashmir, Leh coldest at minus 8.2 deg C

Cold wave continued in Kashmir with the night temperature remaining several degrees below the freezing point, even as the Meteorological Department said there is possibility of light rain or snow at isolated places in the higher reaches of the Valley over the next 24 hours.
Srinagar, recorded a low of minus 5.5 degrees Celsius, down by half a degree from the previous night's minimum of minus 5.0 degrees Celsius, a MeT official here said.
He said the city was the coldest recorded place in the Valley.
The mercury in Qazigund - the gateway town to Kashmir Valley - settled at a low of minus 4.8 degrees Celsius - slightly up from minus 5.3 degrees Celsius yesterday.

The official said the north Kashmir town of Kupwara recorded a low of minus 5.4 degrees, against minus 5.1 degrees Celsius the previous night.
He said Kokernag town of south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 3.3 degrees Celsius.

The official said Pahalgam health resort in south Kashmir - which serves as a base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra - recorded a low of minus 4.8 degrees Celsius - up from minus 5.5 degrees Celsius 24 hours earlier.
The mercury at the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg, in north Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius, compared to the yesterday's low of minus 1.8 degrees Celsius.

Leh, in Ladakh region of the state, registered a low of minus 8.2 degrees Celsius - up nearly four degrees from the previous night's minus 12.1 degrees Celsius.
The official said Leh was the coldest recorded place in the state.
The MeT has said there is possibility of light rain or snowfall at isolated places over higher reaches of Kashmir Valley over the next 24 hours.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of 'Chillai-Kalan' - considered the harshest period of winter, when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably.
'Chillai-Kalan', which, began on December 21, ends on January 31 next year, but the cold wave continues even after that.

The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day long 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold).