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Srinagar, Nov 7 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar city recorded its coldest night so far this season on Friday with the minimum temperature falling to 0.2 degrees Celsius, while the mercury dropped below the freezing point in Gulmarg and Pahalgam hill stations.
“The minimum temperature today was minus 2.6 in Gulmarg and minus 3 in Pahalgam. Recent snowfall in the mountains around the valley and clear night sky for the next 10 days is expected to further drop the night temperatures in Kashmir,” Met department officials said.
Due to the drop in temperatures, people have started adopting woolen clothes and Kangri, a traditional Kashmiri earthen pot encased in wicker and filled with hot embers.
Winter clothing such as tweed overgarments and woolen jerseys called ‘ferrans’ are worn by local people to protect themselves from the cold. As winter progresses, layers of wool clothing, including mufflers and hats, are going to increase.
The mild autumn sunshine provides some respite to the Baskars during the day, but cold winds blowing into the valley from the snow-covered mountains hinder the sun’s ability to heat the surrounding atmosphere.
The coldest part of winter is ‘Chillai Kalan’ lasting 40 days which starts on 21 December and ends on 30 January every year.
Most of the water bodies in the valley partially freeze during this period as extremely slippery road conditions force travelers and motorists to start the day after the morning rush hour ends, and the temperature improves marginally during the day.
During ‘Chillai Kalan’ which lasts for 40 days, drinking water taps freeze at most places and in the morning people are seen lighting small fires around water taps.
The minimum temperature in Jammu city on Friday was 11.6 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in Katra, the base camp city of Mata Vaishno Devi, was 12.1 degrees Celsius, Batot 6.1, Banihal 8.8 and Bhaderwah 4.5 degrees Celsius.
–IANS
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