While light snowfall graced the mountains of Jammu and Kashmir in the past 24 hours, the valley’s plains still haven’t experienced the magic of this winter’s “Nav Sheen”. Traditionally, the first snowfall sparks joyous greetings and gift-giving among Kashmiris, marking the occasion with “Nav Sheen Mubarak” wishes. Children would eagerly build snowmen and engage in playful snowball fights.
However, with only a day left in the 40-day “Chillai Kalan” period of harsh winter cold, hopes for a significant snowfall in the plains seem to be fading. Minimum temperatures have already risen noticeably across the valley and Jammu division, further dampening the prospects.
Today, minimum temperatures in Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam stood at 3.6°C, -3.2°C, and 0.7°C, respectively. Meanwhile, Leh and Kargil recorded lower temperatures of -5°C and -6.6°C. Jammu city and surrounding areas also saw milder minimums ranging from 9.3°C to 3.2°C.
