SRINAGAR: Night temperatures across Kashmir remained below the freezing point but showed an upward trend in most areas, officials said on Saturday, marking the onset of Chillai Khurd and the end of the 40-day harshest winter period known as Chillai-Kalan.
The Meteorological Department has, however, forecast cloudy weather with the possibility of light to moderate rain or snowfall, particularly in higher-altitude areas.
In Srinagar, the minimum temperature dropped to minus 0.1 degrees Celsius on Friday night from 1.3 degrees Celsius the previous night, remaining about 0.5 degrees above the seasonal average.
Although temperature data was unavailable for some locations, including Sonamarg in Ganderbal district, Gulmarg in Baramulla district recorded the lowest temperature in the Union Territory at minus 6.5 degrees Celsius, an improvement from minus 10.6 degrees the previous night.
The tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 2.6 degrees Celsius, up from minus 5.3 degrees Celsius earlier. Qazigund registered a low of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag and Kupwara recorded minimum temperatures of minus 3.0 degrees and minus 2.5 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The 20-day Chillai Khurd period will be followed by Chillai Bachha, a 10-day phase marking the tail end of winter. The weather office said conditions are likely to remain cloudy, with chances of light to moderate rain or snow, especially in higher reaches, accompanied by thunder or gusty winds at several places on Saturday and Sunday.
Light rain, along with snowfall in higher elevations, is also likely at scattered to many places across Kashmir on February 2 and 3, officials added.
