Srinagar, Jan 18 (IANS): Temperature improved in Jammu on Thursday while dry cold became more intense in Kashmir with no prospect of snowfall during the next seven days.

The Meteorological (MeT) department said that there would be no major change in weather in J&K during the next seven days.

Temperature improved in Jammu on Thursday as the minimum temperature was 5.7 while the maximum was 20.6 on Wednesday.

]Srinagar had minus 4.6 as the minimum temperature on Thursday while Gulmarg and Pahalgam had minus 4.5 and minus 5.8 respectively.

In Ladakh region, Leh town had minus 13.8, Kargil minus 11.8 and Drass minus 13.1 as the minimum temperature.

Jammu had 5.7, Katra 6.2, Batote 2.4, Bhaderwah minus 0.3 and Banihal minus 0.8.

The 40-day long period of harsh winter cold known as the ‘Chillai Kalan’ started on December 21 and ended on January 30. So far, there has been no snowfall in Kashmir during the Chillai Kalan.

No snowfall in Chillai Kalan spells disaster for summer as all water bodies in Kashmir are dependent on the perennial water reservoirs in higher reaches which get replenished by sufficient snowfall during winter months.