India, Jan. 30 -- Minimum temperatures rose across much of the Kashmir Valley on Friday as Chillai Kalan, the harshest 40-day winter period, ended, bringing relief from the intense cold, officials said.

The night temperature in Srinagar settled at 1.3 degrees Celsius, up from minus 0.6 degrees the previous night and 2.2 degrees above the seasonal average. Several other areas, including Konibal (1.0C), Pulwama (0.1C) and Kulgam (1.1C), also recorded minimum temperatures above the freezing point, indicating a broader warming trend across the Valley.

Despite the rise, higher reaches continued to experience severe cold. Sonamarg in Ganderbal district remained the coldest place in Jammu and Kashmir at minus 10.6 degrees Celsius, followed by ...