Srinagar, Nov 30 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir’s popular tourist hill station, Pahalgam, froze on Sunday at minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, and Srinagar city shivered at minus 4.4 as the Valley witnessed the coldest November since 2007.

The Meteorological (MeT) Department officials said the minimum temperature was minus 4.4 degrees Celsius in Srinagar city, while it was minus 5.6 degrees Celsius in Pahalgam and minus 1.4 degrees Celsius in Gulmarg.

“November 2025 has recorded the lowest minimum temperature since November 2007. Jammu city recorded 8.8, Katra town 9, Batote 4.7, Banihal minus 0.7 and Bhaderwah 0.3 as the minimum temperature today,” the MeT department officials said, adding that the weather is likely to remain dry till December 10 and the minimum temperature is expected to drop further during this period.

As the night temperature dropped below the freezing point, a feeble winter sun rose on the hazy sky in the Valley without providing much warmth to morning walkers and those out of their homes in the early hours of the day.

As the cold wave became severe, authorities have announced winter vacation for classes up to 8 from December 1, while for Classes 9 to 12, winter vacation will start from December 11.

People have started wearing the traditional winter attire of Kashmir called the ‘Pheran’ (a tweed overgarment). In rural areas and also at many places in cities and towns, people hold an earthen firepot woven in willow wicker filled with live charcoal called the ‘Kangri’ under the Pheran to ward off the winter cold.

The 40-day-long period of harsh winter cold called the ‘Chillai Kalan’ begins on December 21 and ends on January 30 each year.

During this period of extreme winter cold, water bodies in the Valley freeze and people have to battle with water taps in the morning to defreeze them.

The gap between the maximum and the minimum temperature becomes very narrow during the Chillai Kalan as the night temperature drops between minus 5 to minus 7, while the day temperature rarely gets into the double digits.

–IANS

sq/dpb