On Thursday, the second day of Chillai-Kalan, the mercury continued to drop in Kashmir division and most places recorded the lowest minimum temperature of this season.

Citing a meteorological department official, a local media outlet reported that Srinagar recorded minus 5.5 degrees Celsius as against the previous night’s 4.2 degrees Celsius. The official said that apart from being the lowest temperature this season, the mercury was 3.5 degrees Celsius below normal.

Qazigund recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius as against the previous night’s minus 4.2 degrees Celsius. He said the temperature was 2.4 degrees Celsius below normal for the gateway city of Kashmir.

The minimum temperature in Pahalgam was minus 6.8 degrees Celsius, while the previous night’s temperature was minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, he said. Apart from being 1.8 degrees Celsius below normal, it was also the coldest night of the season in the popular tourist destination of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

Kokernag also recorded the coldest temperature of the season at minus 3.3 degrees Celsius as against the previous night’s minus 2.4 degrees Celsius, he said. It was 1.2 degrees Celsius below normal for the place, he added.

The official said Gulmarg recorded minus 5.2 degrees Celsius as against the previous night’s minus 4.6 degrees Celsius. The temperature for the world-famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district was 0.6 degree Celsius above normal, the official said.

The official said Kupwara city recorded minus 5.1 degrees Celsius, while it was minus 4.4 degrees Celsius the previous night. He said that besides being 2.5 degrees Celsius below normal, it was also the coldest temperature ever recorded in the north Kashmir region.

Jammu recorded a minimum temperature of 7.5 degrees Celsius as against the previous night’s 6.3 degrees Celsius. He said it was 0.7 degree Celsius below normal for the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Against last night’s 2.0°C in Banihal (2.1°C below normal), Batote 1.1°C (2.1°C below normal), Katra 5.6°C (1.3°C below normal) and Bhaderwah minus 1.2 degree Celsius was recorded. minus 0.9 degree Celsius (0.4 degree Celsius below normal).

Leh and Kargil in Ladakh recorded minimum temperatures of minus 12.0 degrees Celsius and 12.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, the official said.

The MeT said mainly dry weather would prevail till December 25.

“The sky will be generally cloudy till 26-30th with light to moderate rain (60℅ chance) with isolated light rains over Kashmir, higher reaches of Jammu and plains of Jammu,” said a Met official. Moderate snowfall is expected. The temperature may temporarily disrupt surface transport at places like Mughal Road, Zojila, Karna, Sadna Top etc. during 26-27 though no major snowfall is forecast.