Srinagar, Dec 8 (IANS) Intense cold wave continued across Kashmir Valley on Monday as minimum temperature dropped to minus 2.4 degrees Celsius in Srinagar city with no immediate relief in sight from the biting cold.

An intense dry cold wave has caused widespread flu and cold-related chest ailments in the valley, as doctors have issued advisories asking people not to expose themselves to severe dry cold.

“The air quality index (AQI) has worsened due to the lack of precipitation and continuing addition to suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the air.

“It is very important that we don’t expose ourselves, especially elders and children, to the abrupt cold outside homes. The number of patients reporting with flu and other chest-related ailments triggered by dry cold has actually more than doubled during the last week,” senior pulmonologist, Dr Naveed Nazir Shah said.

Night temperature remained several notches below the freezing point in other parts of the Valley as well on Monday.

The Meteorological (MeT) Department officials said the minimum temperature was minus 2.4 degrees Celsius in Srinagar city, while it was minus 0.4 in Pahalgam and minus 2.5 in Gulmarg.

Jammu city had 7.9, Katra town 9.6, Batote 5.8, Banihal 4.5 and Bhaderwah 2.6 degrees as the minimum temperature.

“Except for a feeble western disturbance (WD) causing light snowfall in the higher reaches, there is little possibility of any major weather activity in J&K till December 15,” the MeT department officials said

Given the prevailing weather conditions, the minimum temperature is likely to drop further in the coming days, the MeT department officials added.

In Srinagar city, the sun continued its ineffectual battle with the cold. Despite a clear sky in the morning, sunlight gave little relief to locals fighting the bitter cold.

Except for the office-goers, everybody seen on the road is wearing the traditional tweed overgarment called the ‘Pheran’. In rural areas, it is common to see people holding an earthen firepot woven in willow wicker basket called the ‘Kangri’. The Kangri is filled with live charcoal and helps to remain warm in cold weather.

People in urban and rural areas use the leaves of the ‘Chinar’ trees to make charcoal to be used during the winter months. Although modern gadgets like electricity and fuel-run central heating are used by the affluent Kashmiris to ward off the winter cold, for the average Kashmiri, the Pheran and the Kangri remain the best bet to keep body and soul together in the winter months.

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 between minus 5 to minus 7 degrees while the day temperature rarely gets around 10 degrees.

–IANS

sq/dpb