Srinagar, Jan 30 (IANS) On the last day of the 40-day harsh winter cold, locally known as the ‘Chillai Kalan’, the minimum temperature in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, rose above the freezing point on Friday for the first time in over one month.

The Meteorological (MeT) Department data said the minimum temperature was 1.3 degrees Celsius in Srinagar, minus 9 degrees Celsius in Gulmarg and minus 5.3 degrees Celsius in Pahalgam.

In Srinagar, the minimum temperature rose above the freezing point after over a month.

The weather has improved in Jammu city as well. The minimum temperature was 9.3 in Jammu, 8.4 in Katra town, 3.2 in Batote, 1.1 in Banihal and minus 1 degree Celsius in Bhaderwah.

Chillai Kalan started on December 21 and ends on this day. Most of the snowfall in J&K occurs during this 40-day-long period, and there hasn’t been very heavy snowfall in the Valley except during the last week of this period.

All needs of water for drinking purposes, irrigation, etc., depend on the quantity of snow received by perennial water reservoirs in the higher reaches during these 40 days.

But for the recent snowfall in the Valley, most rivers, streams, springs and other water bodies were running at their lowest.

The MeT Department has forecast the arrival of another Western Disturbance (WD) in J&K, which will bring some rain/snow on February 1.

Farmers have been advised to suspend agricultural activities till February 2, while travellers and transporters have been advised to contact traffic control rooms before undertaking a journey on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway.

People living in avalanche-prone areas have been cautioned not to venture out of their homes unless unavoidable during the next 75 hours.

A WD is an extratropical storm in the Mediterranean region that brings rain/snow in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. The prospect of the Rabi crop in these countries depends on the activity of the WD.

–IANS

sq/dpb