Srinagar, Jan 27, 2025, IANS

Srinagar, Jan 27 (IANS) An Intense cold wave again gripped Kashmir on Monday as the minimum temperature dropped several notches below the freezing point while pleasant weather continued in the plains of J&K’s Jammu division. The Meteorological (MeT) department officials said that the minimum temperature was minus 5.5 degrees Celsius in Srinagar city while it was minus 5.2 in Gulmarg and minus 6.4 in Pahalgam. In contrast to this, Jammu city was pleasant as the minimum temperature was 5.8 degrees, Mata Vaishno Devi shrine base camp town Katra had 8.2, Batote 4.7, Banihal 1.5 and Bhaderwah 1.4. Water pipes again froze in Srinagar city and other towns of the Valley as people were seen lighting small fires around these pipes to defreeze them. Very few people came out in the morning in Srinagar and preferred remaining indoors to avoid the morning chill. Transport was difficult to find during the morning hours, but roads started coming to life as the sun rose. The MeT department statement has forecast generally cloudy weather with light rain from January 28 evening till January 31. The 40-day-long period of intense winter cold called the ‘Chillai Kalan’ started on December 21 and will end on January 30. The weather starts improving gradually from February 1 in the Valley although snowfall usually occurs till the beginning of March even in the plains of Kashmir Valley. Weather has already improved in Jammu where the maximum temperature was 21.8 degrees Celsius on Sunday. People have started packing their winter clothes and they now wear early summer dresses. Wheat fields have turned lush green as the Rabi crop promises to yield rich dividends for the hard-working farmers of the Jammu division. Doctors have cautioned people in Kashmir, especially, children and elders to avoid long exposure to extreme cold that causes constriction of blood vessels leading to myocardial infarction. People suffering from myocardial infarction are prone to heart attacks and heart failures.