Srinagar witnessed its coldest December night on Saturday in the last 50 years with a temperature minus 8.5 degrees Celsius. This marks the beginning of a 40-day period of Chillai Kalan, the harshest temperature phase in Kashmir.
The 40-day Chillai Kalan period will be succeeded by the 20-day Chillai Khurd known as small cold and a 10-day Chillai Bachha known as the baby cold period. Chillai Kallan will wrap up on January 31, 2025 however not much temperature change will be witnessed immediately.
Saturday night was the coldest night since 1974 when the temperature had fallen to minus 10.3 degrees Celsius. The chilling phase has also paved the way for the freezing of water supply lines and waterbodies, including parts of Dal Lake.
