Cold returns to Kashmir valley; record lows in Leh

Man wades through thick ice after heavy snowfall hit Qazigund in south Kashmir. Photograph: PTI

The cold conditions returned in Kashmir division as the night temperature in most places, including Leh, plunged further below the freezing point followed with clear skies and unusual sunny days.

The night temperature fell by five degrees in Leh town of the frontier region of Ladakh to settle at minus 12.9 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir, a meteorological department spokesperson in Srinagar said.

Leh recorded a low of minus 7.6 degrees Celsius on Monday night.

A Central Reserve Police Force personnel warms himself by a bonfire as he stands guard along a road side on a cold winter morning on the eve of India's Republic Day celebrations in Srinagar. Photograph: Danish Ismail/ Reuters

In Kargil town, the minimum temperature improved by six degrees to settle at minus 8.0 degrees Celsius. The town has recorded a low of minus 14.4 degrees Celsius on Monday.

The night temperature registered a dip in the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir to settle at minus 8.4 degrees Celsius against Monday’s minus 7.0 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said.

Gulmarg, the star attraction for tourists visiting the valley during winter, experienced moderate snowfall last week -- much to the delight of the winter sports lovers.

The southern Pahalgam hill resort, which serves as a base camp during annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a minimum of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius, down by 1.2 degrees compared the previous night, the spokesman said.

Woman holding buckets on their heads as the walk on snow covered roads after heavy snowfall at Anantnag district of south Kashmir. Photograph: PTI

Kupwara town in north Kashmir, which recorded a low of 1.1 degrees Celsius on Monday, also registered a dip as the night temperature settled at minus 1.4 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said.

Qaizund -- the gateway town to Kashmir -- recorded an increase of about two degrees as the night temperature there settled at 0.2 degrees Celsius against minus 2.0 degrees Celsius the previous night.

KashmirValley is currently under the grip of 'Chillai-Kalan' during which the chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent.

However, this year the weather had remained mostly dry with occasional snowfall or rains mostly in higher reaches.

A train moves on a Banihal-Baramulla railyway track after snowfall, at Anantnag district of south Kashmir. Photograph: PTI

The unusual sunny days used to come as a great relief from the bone-chilling cold owing to freezing temperatures due to clear skies.

The maximum temperature recorded on Monday in Srinagar was 12.7 degrees Celsius -- seven degrees above normal during this part of the winter.

Though 'Chillai-Kalan' would end on January 31, the winter continues after that. The 40-day period would be followed by a 20-day long 'Chillai Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day long 'Chillai Bachha' (baby cold).