The 40-day period of harshest winter, known as "Chillai-Kalan", ended on Monday as Kashmir Valley witnessed the wet winter in the last five years with the above normal snowfall in the month of January.“This was one of the wettest winters. The snowfall was above normal. The normal snowfall that we record is 56 mm but this winter it was 143 mm. From last ten years, snowfall above normal has been recorded five times and this time massive snowfall was recorded across Kashmir particularly in North,” Director MeT office, Sonam Lotus told CNS.He said that the frequency of strong Western Disturbances ones was seen frequent this winter. “The winter is not over yet, only "Chillai-Kalan" has ended and we can witness more rain or snowfall in this month,” Lotus added.He said that Srinagar witnessed the lowest temperature of minust 6.8 this winter while last time it was in the year 2012 when the city witness temperature of minus 7.8. “From past ten years, this January we witnessed a record breaking snowfall,” he said adding that the temperatures went down up to minus 19 in Leh district of Ladakh region this January.
Director MeT, Sonam Lotus said that this Chillai-Kalan, the night of January 14 was the coldest one when Gulmarg recorded lowest temperature of minus 14.4, Pahalgam minus 13.8, Qazigund minus 8.8 and Srinagar minus 6.8. “We have maximum snowfall at Banihal 475 mm, followed by Gulmarg 364 mm, Qazigund 290 mm, Pahalgam 280 mm, Kupwara 208 mm and Srinagar 143 mm.He said that MeT is expecting from moderate to heavy snowfall from the evening of February 4 till February 6 morning.This Chillai-Kalan witnessed 26 deaths including 21Indian soldiers that lost their lives in snow avalanches."Chillai-Kalan" began on December 21 and will now be followed by a 20-day long "Chillai Khurd" (small cold) and a 10-day long "Chillai Bachha" (baby cold). (CNS)