SRINAGAR, January 29, 2026 : Cold conditions continued to grip Kashmir as night temperatures plunged below the freezing point at most places across the Valley, officials said on Thursday. Despite the chill, a few locations—including Srinagar—recorded slightly warmer-than-expected minimum temperatures compared to seasonal averages.
The minimum temperature in Srinagar settled at −0.6°C, down from the previous night’s 0.1°C, but still 0.3°C above the seasonal normal.
Sonamarg, in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, emerged as the coldest place in Jammu and Kashmir, recording a biting low of −11.2°C, a sharp drop from the previous night’s −9.8°C.
The famous ski resort Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of −9°C, while Pahalgam, a key tourist destination and one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra, registered −4.5°C.
Elsewhere in the Valley, Qazigund recorded a minimum of 0°C, Kokernag settled at −0.6°C, and Kupwara shivered at −3.5°C, officials said.
The region is nearing the end of ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, the harshest 40-day winter period marked by intense cold and high chances of snowfall. This phase, which began on December 21, is set to conclude on January 30. However, cold conditions are expected to persist, followed by ‘Chilla-i-Khurd’ (20 days of milder cold) and ‘Chilla-i-Bachha’ (10 days of residual cold).
The Meteorological Department has forecast cloudy but dry weather till January 31. A fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the region from February 1, potentially bringing another spell of wet weather.
