Srinagar Shivers At -5.3 Degrees, Records Season's Coldest Night

Srinagar recorded the season's coldest night on Tuesday as a cold wave continues to grip Kashmir. Mercury dropped to minus 5.3 degrees Celsius in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, days after recording a low of minus 4.8 degrees Celsius on Monday.

On Tuesday, the temperatures rose several notches even though the minimum temperatures settled below the freezing point. In south Kashmir, Pahalgam, which is also the base camp for Amarnath Yatra, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 1.5  degrees Celsius.

The resort town of Gulmarg recorded minus 3.5 degrees Celsius while Qazigund recorded a low of minus 2.6 degrees Celsius. Temperatures hovered around minus 2 degrees Celsius in Kokernag and Kupwara.

The weather office has said that the region will experience dry but generally cloudy weather till December 16, days before the beginning of 'Chilla-i-Kalan' -- the 40-day harshest winter period when the temperatures drop to their lowest.

The harsh winter period also sees water bodies in Kashmir, including the iconic Dal Lake, freeze and even water in pipelines turns to ice. Snowfall become frequent with higher reaches receiving heavy snow. 

The cold wave in Kashmir is divided in three phases. The  'Chillai-Kalan' begins on December 21 and ends on January 30. It is followed by a 20-day 'Chillai-Khurd' or small cold and a 10-day 'Chillai-Bachha' or baby cold after it.