Mercury dips in Kashmir but little chance of snow fall

Srinagar: Amid fears that this year's winter season may turn out to be one of the hottest ever for North India, mercury once again dipped in most parts of Kashmir Valley even as minimum temperature rose by six degrees in Leh town in the frontier Ladakh region to settle at
minus 7.4 degrees Celsius.

As per the Met Department, dry weather conditions will continue for most part of the rest of Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day harshest winter period ending January 31, bringing down the chances of any further snow fall

Kashmir had witnessed similar conditions last year as well.

Chillai-Kalan, which began with winter solstice on December 21 and ends January 31, is the harshest period of winter in Kashmir when chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum.

Kargil was the coldest place in Jammu and Kashmir though night temperature also rose there slightly to minus 12.0 degrees Celsius compared to the previous night's minus 12.4
degrees Celsius, an official of the Meteorological Department here said.

The official said in the Valley, the minimum temperature increased in Pahalgam and Qazigund, while other places experienced a drop in the mercury.

Srinagar recorded a low of minus 3.1 degrees Celsius against minus 2.9 degrees Celsius the previous night, the official said.

The famous tourist resort of Pahalgam registered a low of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, rising a notch from the previous night.