The harshest winter period Chillai Kalan begins in the Kashmir valley. Valley continues to experience sub-zero nights as the 40-day event of severe winters commence. Srinagar started experiencing these freezing temperatures from November itself but the heaven city has clocked temperatures below -6°C consistently on 4 days between 17th & 20th December. Such glacial temperatures are a bit early in the season with a very few parallels in the records. The lowest temperature so far recorded was -6.6°C on 19th December.
Cold conditions have resulted in the freezing of water supply lines in some areas of the valley as well as stagnant water bodies. With such excruciating cold, Dal Lake also froze on 20th December, much before the expected timelines setting the new norms for the valley. With not enough snowfall this season so far, the dry cold has gripped the Kashmir Valley leading to freezing of Dal Lake at the beginning of the season. Earlier mercury at Pahalgam plunged to -9.5°C and -9.2°C at Gulmarg. Gateway to the valley, Qazigund measured -5.7°C.
Chances of snowfall are more frequent and intense as well when the temperatures drop during Chillai Kalan. The snow during this 40 day period freezes and lasts longer. This snow infuses the glaciers and also replenishes the perennial reservoirs that feed the rivers, streams and lakes in Kashmir during the summer months. The flipside of excessive snow during this period is triggering the avalanches in the mid and higher reaches which proves detrimental for the troops positioned in the respective areas.