Night temperature improves in Kashmir

Srinagar, Dec 16 (IANS) The night temperature improved in Kashmir on Saturday although it still remained below the freezing point.

An official of the Met Department said that due to partial cloud cover, minimum temperature rose across the valley on Saturday.

Minimum temperature was minus 1.3 degrees Celsius in Srinagar on Saturday It had fallen to minus 5.4 on Thursday.

Gulmarg recorded minus 2.8 and Pahalgam minus 5.1 as the minimum temperature.

Leh town had minus 10.8, Kargil minus 11.1 and Drass minus 11.2 as the minimum temperature.

Jammu had 5.9, Katra 6, Batote 2.5, Bhaderwah 0.2 and Banihal minus 1.2 as the night’s lowest temperature.

The 40-day long period of harsh winter cold known locally as the ‘Chillai Kalan’ begins on December 21 each year and ends on January 30.