Kashmir's harshest winter period Chillai Kalan begins

Srinagar: Kashmir witnessed temperatures dipping below the freezing point, marking the beginning of harshest 40-day winter period yesterday. It has begun on a chilling note today as night temperature has further decreased. Most parts including Srinagar recorded coldest nights of the season and minimum temperatures plummeted to the season's lowest in several places of the Valley.

The most severe part of the winter in Kashmir is divided into three parts called the Chillai Kalaan, the Chillai Khurd and the Chillai Bhachhe. The "Chillai Kalaan" is the forty-day period of harsh winter which begins on December 21 and ends on January 31 next year. During the period, the weather in Kashmir continues to remain dry and



cold with minimum temperatures hovering below the freezing point.

As per Meteorological Centre Srinagar, the capital city recorded the coldest night of the season at minus 4.2 degree Celsius on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. Pahalgam in south Kashmir also recorded coldest night of the season at minus 6.2 degree celsius while as Gulmarg, a famous ski-resort, recorded a low of minus 4.6 degree celsius.

Pertinently, the 40-day harshest winter period, "Chilla-i-Kalaan" began today in the Kashmir while the weatherman has predicted intense cold wave in coming days amid persistent dry spell in the Kashmir Valley.