The tourist resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam received light snowfall during the night, even as the minimum temperature marked an improvement at most places in Kashmir Valley and Ladakh region.An official of the MET department said there was a possibility of light rains or snowfall at isolated places, especially in the higher reaches, in the state over the next 24 hours.The official said while the night temperature marked an improvement at most places across Kashmir division last night, the mercury in Gulmarg and Kokernag decreased from the previous night.Gulmarg - the famous ski-resort in north Kashmir - recorded a low of minus 9 degrees Celsius, three degrees colder from the previous night.He said Kokernag town in south Kashmir registered a low of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius compared to minus 2.5 degrees Celsius on the previous night.Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded the minimum temperature of minus 3.2 degrees Celsius, a slight increase from minus 3.9 degrees Celsius yesterday, the official said.
He said the mercury in Qazigund in south Kashmir settled at a low of minus 4 degrees Celsius, up from the previous night's minus 4.4 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 2 degrees Celsius.The night temperature in Pahalgam - the famous health resort which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra recorded a low of minus 4 degrees Celsius, up from minus 4.5 degrees Celsius the previous night.Kargil town in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir continued to shiver as the minimum temperature there settled at minus 20 degrees Celsius same as the previous night, the official said.He said the town was the coldest recorded place in the state. Nearby Leh town recorded a minimum temperature of minus 10.3 degrees Celsius last night up from minus 14.2 degrees the previous night.Kashmir is currently under the grip of Chillai-Kalan, a 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably.It ends on January 31 next year, but the cold wave continues even after that in the valley.The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long Chillai- Khurd (small cold) and a 10-day long Chillai-Bachha (baby cold). (PTK)