SRINAGAR: Mercury continued its free fall on Saturday as Jammu city recorded season’s lowest temperature at 4.1 degrees Celsius.

The Valley also remained in the throes of intense dry cold wave.

MeT department statement said that Srinagar recorded minus 5.4, Gulmarg minus 4.5 and Pahalgam minus 6.3 as the minimum temperature on Saturday.

Jammu city recorded this season’s coldest night at 4.1 degrees Celsius.

Katra recorded 5.6, Batote 2.3, Bhaderwah minus 0.3 and Banihal minus 0.6 as the minimum temperature.

Leh town in Ladakh recorded minus 12.8 as the night’s lowest temperature.

40-day long period of harsh winter cold called the ‘Chillai Kalan’ started on December 21 and will end on January 30.

So far, Chillai Kalan has remained dry without any snowfall.

If it does not snow sufficiently during the remaining portion of the Chillai Kalan, then it is going to be bad news for Kashmir.

All the perennial water reservoirs in the higher reaches of Kashmir get replenished due to heavy snowfall during these 40-day long period.

Various water bodies including lakes, rivers, streams and springs are sustained during the summer months by the snow reserves in the mountains.