Srinagar, January 14, 2026 : Severe cold conditions continued across the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday, with parts of the iconic Dal Lake and several other water bodies freezing as minimum temperatures dipped further below zero, officials said.
The Valley is currently witnessing ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, the harshest 40-day winter phase marked by intense cold and the highest likelihood of snowfall. The period began on December 21 and will conclude on January 30.
According to the Meteorological Department, Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.2 degrees Celsius on Tuesday night, compared to minus 4.9 degrees Celsius a day earlier.
Shopian in south Kashmir emerged as the coldest place, with the mercury plunging to minus 7.5 degrees Celsius.
Due to prolonged cold conditions, interior portions of Dal Lake and other water bodies froze, disrupting routine activities in lakeside areas.
Tourist destinations also remained in the grip of severe cold. Pahalgam, a key base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 6 degrees Celsius, while Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district registered minus 3.8 degrees Celsius.
Sonamarg in central Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius.
Elsewhere, Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, recorded minus 5.3 degrees Celsius, Kupwara saw minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag recorded minus 2.3 degrees Celsius, officials said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that a western disturbance is approaching Kashmir and is likely to impact the Valley’s weather from January 16, potentially bringing snowfall and further cold conditions.
