SRINAGAR: The 40-day harshest winter period in Kashmir, Chilai Kalan, began on Friday with the night temperature in Srinagar dropping to -4.4 degrees Celsius on Thursday night.
Chilai Kalan begins on December 21 and ends on January 30. During these 40 days, Kashmir remains in the grip of intense cold with high chances of snowfall and rain. The night temperatures, during this period, mostly stay below freezing point.
The 40-day ‘Chilai Kalan’ is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chilai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day long 'Chilai-Bachha' (baby cold).
Deputy Director MeT Kashmir, Mukthar Ahmed said that there is no forecast of snowfall in the Valley in the next ten days. “For the next ten days, the weather will remain mostly dry. However, the nights will be colder with night temperature expected to hover around -4 to -6 degrees Celsius,” he said.
The MET office has forecast mainly dry weather for the week ahead.
Kashmir used to witness heavy snowfall during Chilai Kalan, and long icicles would hang from rooftops of houses. But for last few years, there has been negligible or no snow during the 40 days. In 2017, too, there was no snowfall during the Chilai Kalan.
Besides, intense cold, Kashmir is also grappling with power crisis.