Weather Wrap: Chillai Kalan Begins In J&K As Srinagar Records -8.5°C; Rain Lashes Odisha; Delhi AQI Improves

Srinagar recorded minus 8.5 degrees Celcius on Saturday as the harshest period of winter, Chillai Kalan begins in Jammu and Kashmir. Amid cold weather conditions, the depression over Bay of Bengal which was forcasted to affect Andhra Pradesh earlier have shifted eastwards causing rain in several parts of Odisha.

Rain is also expected in Rajasthan due to Western disturbances. Meanwhile the pollution levels have improved in the national capital and the temperature is a notch below season's average on Saturday.

Weather Wrap

Jammu and Kashmir: Chillai Kalan Begins As Srinagar Records Minus 8.5 Degrees Celsius

Chillai Kalan, the 40-day period of harshest winter, commenced in Kashmir on Saturday with Srinagar experiencing its coldest December night in five decades at minus 8.5 degrees Celsius, according to the meteorological department.

Minimum temperatures dropped several notches below the freezing point in other parts of the valley as well.

In Srinagar, the temperature came down to minus 8.5 degrees Celsius on Friday night from minus 6.2 degrees Celsius the previous night, the meteorological department said.

It was Srinagar's coldest December night since 1974, when the city recorded a low of minus 10.3 degrees Celsius, and the third coldest since 1891.

Srinagar's lowest-ever minimum temperature in this month was minus 12.8 degrees Celsius on December 13, 1934.

The intense cold led to the freezing of several water bodies, including parts of the famous Dal Lake here, and water supply lines in many areas of the city and elsewhere in the valley.

South Kashmir's tourist resort Pahalgam, which also serves as one of the base camps for the Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 8.6 degrees Celsius while the famous ski resort of Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius.

Konibal, a hamlet on the outskirts of Pampore town, was the coldest weather station in the valley with a minimum temperature of minus 10.5 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperature settled at minus 8.2 degrees Celsius in Qazigund, minus 7.2 degrees Celsius in Kupwara and minus 5.8 degrees Celsius in Kokernag.

This was Kupwara's lowest December temperature since 1998 and the ninth lowest ever in this month.

The meteorological office has forecast mainly dry weather till December 26 with a possibility of light snowfall in the higher reaches of the valley on the intervening night of December 21-22.

Light snow over the higher reaches is also possible from the afternoon of December 27 to the forenoon of December 28. The weather is likely to be mainly dry on December 29-30 while light snowfall is expected in the higher reaches on the New Year's Eve, it said.

The weather office said the cold wave at isolated places would continue over the next few days.

During the 40 days of 'Chillai-Kalan', the chances of snowfall are the maximum and the temperature drops considerably.

'Chillai Kalan' will end on January 31 next year but the cold wave continues in the valley as it is followed by a 20-day 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold).

Also Read | Weather Update: Dense Fog In Delhi, Rainfall Expected; Srinagar Records -6.0°C

Rajasthan: Light Rain Expected On Dec 23, 24 Due To Western Disturbance

Dense fog prevailed in many parts of Rajasthan on Saturday morning with the mercury settling at a low of 4.3 degrees Celsius in Sikar's Fatehpur, the meteorological centre here said.

Sikar recorded a minimum temperature of 5 degrees Celsius, Pilani 5.4 degrees Celsius, Ganganagar 6.1 degrees Celsius and Nagaur and Churu 6.7 degrees Celsius.

Due to the influence of a weak western disturbance, light rain and cloudy weather are likely in northern and eastern parts of Rajasthan on December 23 and 24, the meteorological centre said.

Another western disturbance is likely to become active on December 26 and 27 and bring light to moderate rain with thundershowers in some parts of the state, it said.

There is a possibility of a slight drop in the minimum temperature for a day or two and cold wave may be recorded in some places in the Shekhawati region, it said.

Delhi: Temperature Records 7.6 Degrees Celsius, AQI Improves

Delhiites woke up to a foggy morning on Saturday with the minimum temperature in the national capital settling at 7.6 degrees Celsius, a notch below the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Delhi's air quality improved significantly. The Air Quality Index (AQI) came down to 392 in the 'very poor' category from 429 on Friday, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

Humidity levels were recorded at 100 per cent at 8.30 am, the IMD said.

The weather officer has forecast mainly clear skies during the day and the maximum temperature is expected to settle at 23 degrees Celsius.

Also Read | Weather Wrap: Delhi Sees Coldest Morning At 4.5 Degree Celcius; Heavy Rain Lashes Tamil Nadu

Odisha: Rain Lashes Several Districts Following Depression Over Bay Of Bengal

Rain lashed most parts of Odisha on Saturday even as the low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression, the MeT office here said.

Of the 30 districts of Odisha, 26 districts have experienced rainfall in the last 24 hours till 8.30 am on Saturday. The highest of 108.4 mm rainfall was recorded at Ranpur in Nayagarh district followed by Begunia (84), Pipili, Jatani, Khura and Naugon (75 mm each).

The IMD has forecast heavy rain in some places in Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Ganjam and Gajapati districts during the day.

Heavy rain lashed the districts of Puri, Khurdha, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Bhadrak, Balasore, Keonjhar, Angul, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Sambalpur, and Jharsuguda since Saturday morning.

The IMD said rainfall is likely to decrease from Saturday due to a gradual change in the weather.

The depression over the Bay of Bengal off Andhra Pradesh coast moved east-northeastwards with the speed of 12 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centred about 430 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 480 km east-northeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and 590 km south- of Gopalpur (Odisha), the IMD said at 12.30 pm.

The MeT office advised fishermen to stay cautious as the sea conditions will likely to be turbulent. Rough to very rough seas are likely across the west-central and southwest Bay of Bengal during this period and along the Andhra Pradesh-north Tamil Nadu and south Odisha coasts.

The director of Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, Manorama Mohanty said the wind direction has changed to south-easterly and the winds are carrying a lot of moisture as a result of which there was rainfall activities. "While light to moderate rainfall is expected in interior Odisha, there could be heavy downpour in the coastal belt," Mohanty said.

With reports of depression-induced rainfall damaging standing paddy crop, Odisha's Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta said the state government will provide compensation if the paddy gets affected because of rain continuing since Friday.

He said arrangements have been made for covering the crops at Mandis.

Revenue department sources said that Khurda district recorded 75 mm of rainfall and Jagatsinghpur district 61.2 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours till 8.30 am on Saturday.