STATE TIMES NEWS
New Delhi: Large parts of north India reeled under numbing cold on Tuesday with the mercury remaining below the freezing point at most places in Jammu and Kashmir, while dense fog in the early hours of the morning hit road and rail traffic movement.
The mercury rose a few notches in Delhi, bringing its residents some respite from the cold.
In Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar recorded a low of 1.8 degrees Celsius on Monday night, up from 0.9 degrees the night before, officials said.
Qazigund, the gateway to the Valley, registered a minimum temperature of minus 0.8 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 3.6 degrees, they said.
The mercury settled at 2.7 degrees Celsius in Kupwara and minus 3.2 degrees ‘This decade in agri-horticulture sector belongs to J&K’ Celsius in Pahalgam. It remained below the 10-degree mark across weather stations in the Valley.
According to the meteorological office, moderate snowfall is very likely at many places in the higher reaches.
The plains in the Valley are expected to receive light to moderate snow. Light snowfall, with rains in the plains of Jammu, is likely at many places in Jammu and Kashmir, the weather office said.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day harshest winter period when the chances of snowfall are the maximum.
‘Chillai Kalan’ begins on December 21 and ends on January 30. The cold wave continues even after that with a 20-day ‘Chillai Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day ‘Chillai Bachha’ (baby cold) following it.
