Srinagar :- Jammu and Kashmir continues to experience intense cold weather conditions, with the Meteorological (MeT) office predicting cold, dry weather for the next 24 hours across the union territory. The narrowing gap between maximum and minimum temperatures has intensified the cold’s impact on daily life.
In Srinagar, the capital city recorded a maximum temperature of 5.8 degrees Celsius on Saturday, while Sunday saw temperatures plummet to minus 3 degrees. The popular tourist destination of Gulmarg reported even colder conditions, with a maximum of 2.4 degrees on Saturday and a minimum of minus 5.6 degrees on Sunday. Pahalgam also experienced severe cold, registering a maximum of 4.8 degrees and dropping to minus 6.2 degrees on Sunday.The Jammu region also felt the winter’s grip, with Jammu city recording 10.5 degrees, while other areas like Katra, Batote, Banihal, and Bhaderwah experienced minimum temperatures of 8.4, 4.6, 0.7, and 2.5 degrees respectively.Looking ahead, the MeT office has forecast varying weather conditions for the coming week.
January 12 is expected to begin with cloudy conditions, clearing later in the day. While January 13 should see clear skies and dry weather, January 14 will likely be generally cloudy. Light snowfall is predicted at higher elevations during January 15 and 16, followed by cloudy conditions on January 17 and 18.The region is currently in the midst of ‘Chillai Kalan’, a 40-day period of harsh winter that began on December 21 and will continue until January 30.
During this challenging period, local residents rely on traditional methods to combat the cold. The ‘Pheran’, a loose tweed overgarment, paired with the ‘Kangri’, a traditional firepot encased in a willow wicker basket, remain essential tools for Kashmiris to maintain warmth throughout this severe winter phase.
