Minimum temperature slips below zero in Gulmarg, Pahalgam; rises in J&K’s Srinagar

Srinagar, Dec 24 (IANS) The night temperature remained above the freezing point in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar city on Wednesday, as it dropped notches below the zero degrees Celsius in Gulmarg and Pahalgam hill stations.

The Meteorological (MeT) Department said the minimum temperature was 3 degrees Celsius in Srinagar, while it was minus 4.2 and minus 2.2 degrees in Gulmarg and Pahalgam, respectively.

Jammu city had 8.2 degrees Celsius, Katra town 9.4, Batote 4.2, Banihal 6.4 and Bhaderwah 0.6 degrees as the minimum temperature.

The MeT department has forecast dry weather till December 31 across the union territory, saying that the minimum temperature is likely to drop due to a clear night sky.

The 40-day-long period of harsh winter cold called the ‘Chillai Kalan’ started on December 21 on a positive note as all the higher reaches of the Valley received the much-awaited snowfall while rain lashed the plains.

This wet spell broke the 3-month-long dry spell that had given rise to problems in the Valley, as most people complained of bad cold, flu and chest-related ailments.

Rain and snow have also raised the hope of hoteliers, tour and travel operators and others directly or indirectly connected with the tourism industry.

These people now look forward to the arrival of tourists on Christmas and New Year’s Eve at Gulmarg and other hill stations.

Skiers are also expected to arrive in Gulmarg as the resort is known as the ‘Skier’s Paradise’ because of its majestic ski slopes.

Hundreds of thousands of migratory birds that spend their winter months in the relatively warmer environments of the Valley have started moving out of the bird reserves to feed in the open fields and marshy lands after the recent rainfall.

The beeline of these avian visitors on the morning and evening sky presents a spectacle of colour and cackle that has been part of the local tradition for hundreds of years.

These avian visitors are one of the most dependable indicators of the environment and ecology in the Valley. Their health and well-being assure locals that all is not lost on the environmental front, and if proper care and caution are exercised, the people can still preserve and sustain the glory of Kashmir as the paradise on earth.

–IANS

sq/dpb