North Kashmir relatively warmer than other parts of Kashmir
Faizan Arif
Srinagar, 03 Feb: Chillai-Kalan, the harshest 40-day long period, came to an end on 30 Jan with Kashmir valley witnessing severe cold wave conditions.
Night temperature in Srinagar dropped to minus 8.8 degrees Celsius on 31 Jan – lowest since 1991.
As per the data computed by Kashmir Weather, an independent weather forecaster, Central Kashmir witnessed its coldest January since 1997 with a mean temperature of 0.6 degrees Celsius. While South Kashmir recorded 2nd coldest January since 1997 with an average temperature of minus 1.2 degrees Celsius, just behind 2012 when the mean temperature was minus 1.3 degrees Celsius.
North Kashmir remained relatively warmer with a mean temperature of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Central Kashmir in 1997 recorded a mean temperature (mean of day and night temperatures) of 0.0°C while in 1995 it was -0.8°C and -2.1°C in 1991. The lowest mean temperature in the last 40 years was in 1986 with an average temperature of -2.9°C
While central Kashmir recorded a mean minimum of -4.5°C — coldest since 1995 when the mean was -4.7°C. In 1986 the mean was -5.4°C and the lowest, mean of minimum temperatures, was in 1991 with an average of -5.5°C.
Maximum temperature remained higher than other years in central Kashmir. This January it was 5.7°C same as that in 2020, while it was 5.2°C in 2019, 4.2°C in 2017, 3.2°C in 1995, 1.3°C in 1991 and the lowest -0.4°C in 1986.
South Kashmir in 1997 recorded a mean temperature of -1.2°C, while it was -3.1°C in 1995, -4.0°C in 1991 and the lowest -5.2°C in 1986.
The minimum temperatures remained colder since 1995 when the mean minimum was -6.8°C. This year it was -6.3°C, while -5.9°C in 1999, -8.0°C in 1991, -7.2°C in 1987 and the lowest -8.3°C in 1986.
While the mean maximum was 3.9°C this January, 3.6°C in 2020, 3.4°C in 2019, 2.9°C in 2014, 0.7°C in 1995 and 0.0°C in 1991. The lowest was recorded in the year 1986 with an average of -2.1°C.
The situation was however different for parts of north Kashmir and wasn’t as bad as it was in central and south Kashmir.
The average temperature stayed 0.1°C higher than Jan 2020 and 0.4°C higher than Jan 2019 and 2017.
In 1997 the mean temperature recorded was 0.4°C, -2.1°C in 1995 and the lowest -3.1°C in 1986.
The minimum temperature also remained higher than other years. It was -3.6°C this year same as that in 2020, -4.0°C in 2018, -4.2°C in 2002, -4.1°C in 2001, -3.9°C in 1996, -6.8°C in 1995 and -6.4°C in 1986. The lowest -8.7°C was recorded in the year 1987.
The mean maximum remained quite warm this year. It was 2°C higher than 2017 when the average maximum temperature was 4.7°C.
In 2012 it was 4.2°C, 2.7°C in 1995 and the lowest 0.3°C in the year 1986.
