Srinagar, Nov 24 (IANS) As the minimum temperature dropped further in the Valley, Srinagar city witnessed the coldest night on Monday at minus 3.2 degrees Celsius, with the MET department forecasting further drop in temperature in coming days.

“As the minimum temperature continued to drop further, Srinagar city recorded minus 3.2 degrees celsius today, which is the lowest so far this season.

“Night temperature is likely to drop further in the coming days. Gulmarg had minus 1.9 and Pahalgam minus 4 as the minimum temperature today”, MET department officials said.

Jammu city recorded 10, Katra 9.2, Batote 5.5, Banihal minus 1.2 and Bhaderwah 0.5 as the minimum temperature today.

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

As cold wind blows into the Valley from snowclad mountains, school children are facing hardship waiting for buses in the bitter morning cold.

Authorities have now taken a decision that the winter vacation for classes upto the 8th standard will start from December 1 in the Valley.

People have started wearing the traditional winter attire of Kashmir called the ‘Pheran’ (A tweed over garment). In rural areas and also at many places in cities and towns, people hold an earthen firepot woven in a willow wicker basket filled with live charcoal 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 de-freeze them. The gap between the maximum and the minimum temperature becomes very narrow during the Chillai Kalan as the night temperature drops below minus 5 to minus 7 while the day temperature rarely gets into the double digit.

–IANS

sq/mr