Night temperatures saw a significant rise in Jammu, offering a reprieve from the winter chill, while Kashmir continued to grapple with bone-chilling cold. The Meteorological Department reported minimum temperatures dipping to minus 2.4°C in Srinagar, minus 3.2°C in Gulmarg, and minus 3.9°C in Pahalgam.
Ladakh remained icy cold, with Leh recording a minimum of minus 9°C, Kargil at minus 7.3°C, and Drass, the coldest inhabited place in India, at a bone-numbing minus 10.9°C.
Meanwhile, Jammu city enjoyed a relatively balmy 6.1°C, while Katra reached 7.2°C. However, higher reaches in the Jammu division like Batote (3°C), Bhaderwah (1°C), and Banihal (-0.4°C) still experienced the winter’s bite.
This winter’s Chillai Kalan, the 40-day period of harshest winter cold, started on December 21 and will continue until January 30. In an unprecedented twist, the Chillai Kalan has so far passed without a single snowflake, raising concerns about potential water scarcity in the coming summer months. The lack of winter snowpack could significantly reduce meltwater supplies during the warmer season.
