Chillai Kalan, the harshest 40-day winter period, commenced in Kashmir on Saturday (December 21), with Srinagar experiencing its coldest December night in 50 years at minus 8.5 degrees Celsius, according to the meteorological department.

Chillai Kalan, the 40-day period of harshest winter, has started in Kashmir, turning it into a magical winter wonderland

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.

Weather experts attribute the intense cold wave in Kashmir to the La Niña effect, which leads to harsher winters and increased precipitation. During the phenomenon, the surface temperatures of the Pacific Ocean cool, disrupting atmospheric circulation patterns and resulting in extreme weather conditions worldwide.

This marks the coldest December night since 1974, when the city recorded a low of minus 10.3°C. The temperature is not only significant in recent history but also ranks as the third-lowest December temperature recorded in the city in the last 133 years, following an all-time low of minus 12.8°C set in 1934.

Kalan, considered Kashmir's harshest winter period, Kashmir experienced its coldest night of the season, with Srinagar recording a minimum temperature of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius.

Some parts of Rajasthan also experienced intense cold wave conditions, with Karauli recording the lowest temperature at 4.5 degree Celsius on Sunday.