The 40-day harshest winter period in Kashmir known as ‘Chillai Kalan’ ended on a sunny note on Thursday.
Chillai Kalan, which starts on December 21, is a period when chances of snowfall are maximum and temperatures stay many degrees below freezing point during the night.
The minimum temperature dropped to bone-chilling levels this winter as the mercury dipped to minus 8.5 degrees Celsius in Srinagar on the very first day of Chillai Kalan, breaking a 50-year-old record.
However, snowfall during this period remained elusive, with January receiving scant precipitation.
The harsh winter period was also marked by warmer-than-usual days as maximum temperatures stayed five to seven degrees above normal in the second half of January.
While the higher reaches of north Kashmir received light snowfall on Wednesday, it was a sunny day across the Valley on Thursday, the last day of Chilai Kalan.
However, the skies turned cloudy in the evening, raising hope of snow or rainfall during the night.
Chillai Kalan does not mean the end of the winter period. It will be followed by a 20-day ‘Chillai Khurd (small cold)’ and a 10-day ‘Chillai Bachha (baby cold)’.
The minimum temperature in the summer capital Srinagar was recorded at minus 1.5 degrees Celsius, a Met office spokesperson said.
The night temperature in Pahalgam in south Kashmir settled at minus 5.5 degrees Celsius while the ski-resort town of Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 7.6 degrees.
The minimum temperature Qazigund in south Kashmir was recorded at minus 2.5 degrees Celsius.
In Kokernag, the night temperature settled at minus 2.5 degrees Celsius while north Kashmir’s Kupwara town recorded a minimum temperature of minus 2.2 degrees.