Chillai-Kalan begins on harsh note as several places in Kashmir record season’s coldest night

‘Chillai-Kalan’, the 40-day severe period of winter, started on a harsh note on Wednesday with minimum temperature plummeting to the season’s lowest in several places in Kashmir Valley including Srinagar which recorded a low of minus 4.2°C.

A meteorological department official here told that the minimum temperature in Srinagar was 1.1°C below the previous night’s minus 3.1°C. Overall, he said, the mercury was 2.7°C below normal during this time of the year and surpassed this season’s previous lowest of minus 3.6°C that was recorded in the summer capital on Friday last, the official said.