After a brief respite, frigid nights have returned to Kashmir, with temperatures dropping sharply across the region. Srinagar, the capital city, recorded a biting -4.6°C on Wednesday night, a significant dip from the previous night’s -2.4°C. Other areas like Qazigund (-4.2°C) and Gulmarg (-4.5°C) also experienced bone-chilling temperatures. Pahalgam, a base camp for the Amarnath Yatra, shivered at -5.8°C, while Kokernag saw a milder -0.8°C and Kupwara froze at -4.5°C.
This unusual winter, marked by a lack of snowfall and warmer-than-average days (Srinagar’s daytime temperatures exceeded normal by over 8 degrees!), stands in stark contrast to the typical “Chilla-i-Kalan.” This 40-day period, currently underway, usually brings biting cold waves, frozen water bodies, and heavy snowfall in higher reaches.
Unfortunately, Kashmir faces a severe water crisis due to the prolonged dry spell, with December experiencing a 79% rainfall deficit and January offering scarce precipitation. Snowfall in most plains is absent, and even the upper valleys have received less than usual.
