The 40-day long period of harsh winter cold called locally the ‘Chillai Kalan’ which started in the Valley on December 21 will end on January 31….reports Asian Lite News
Minimum temperature throughout Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh remained notches below the freezing point on Thursday as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast rise in day temperatures and further drop in night temperatures in the two UTs.
The 40-day long period of harsh winter cold called locally the ‘Chillai Kalan’ which started in the Valley on December 21 will end on January 31.
In the Jammu region, the festival of ‘Lohri’ that traditionally marks the end of the bitter winter cold is being celebrated.
An official of the IMD said the night temperatures are likely to drop further and the day temperatures are expected to rise during the next 48 hours as the weather is generally expected to remain dry during this period.
Srinagar had minus 2.7, Pahalgam minus 9.4 and Gulmarg minus 11.0 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature.
Drass town of Ladakh had minus 21.9, Leh minus 15.5 and Kargil minus 16.9 as the minimum.
Both Jammu city and Katra town had 5.5, Batote minus 0.1, Banihal minus 1.0 and Bhaderwah minus 2.7 as the night’s lowest temperature.
Two days ago, India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecast coldwave conditions as very likely over Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh during January 13 to 15 and over northeast Rajasthan during January 12 to 14.
“Cold day conditions in isolated pockets very likely over Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh, west Uttar Pradesh, north Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat during the next two days,” the forecast read.
Besides, dense fog in some/isolated pockets in night and morning hours is very likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh during next 4-5 days, and over north Rajasthan and north Madhya Pradesh during next two days.
“Two fresh Western Disturbances very likely to affect northwest India, the 1st from January 16 and likely to cause isolated to scattered precipitation on January 16 and 17, the 2nd from January 18 and likely to cause light/moderate scattered to fairly widespread precipitation over Western Himalayan Region and light isolated to scattered rainfall over adjoining plains for subsequent 2-3 days,” the IMD said.
Isolated light/moderate rainfall/snowfall is very likely over Western Himalayan Region on 11th and dry weather for subsequent 4-5 days, it added.
“Scattered to fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall is very likely over Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha West Bengal & Sikkim, Telangana and coastal Andhra Pradesh during January 11 to 14. Isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over south Chhattisgarh on January 11, over Odisha on January 11 and 13, and over Telangana during January 11 to 13.”
“Isolated thunderstorms with lightning/hail very likely over Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar & Gangetic West Bengal on January 11, over Odisha on January 11 and 13, and over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on January 12,” the IMD forecast said.
