SRINAGAR, Jan. 30 -- The 40-day 'Chillai Kalan', considered the harshest period of winter in Kashmir, came to an end on a sunny note on Thursday but overcast conditions towards the end of the day raised hope of some precipitation after a prolonged dry spell.
Chillai Kalan, which starts on December 21, is a period when chances of snowfall are maximum and temperatures drop several degrees below freezing point. The minimum temperature dropped to bone-chilling levels this winter as the mercury dipped to minus 8.5 degrees Celsius in Srinagar on the very first day of Chillai Kalan, breaking a 50-year-old record.
However, snowfall during this period remained elusive, with January receiving scant precipitation.
The harsh winter period was also m...