Srinagar, Dec 21 (Reporter) The onset of a 40-day-long period of harsh winter ‘Chillai Kalan’ unleashed its icy grip, with Srinagar recording its coldest December night in over three decades, as temperatures plummeted to a bone-chilling minus 8.5 degrees Celsius. The overnight temperatures dropped several degrees below the freezing point across the Kashmir valley, the meteorological centre Srinagar said. The summer capital of Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 8.5 degrees Celsius marking the coldest night since 1986, when it reached minus 7.9°C. The record for the lowest temperature remains minus 12.8°C, set on December 13, 1934. An Independent weather observer, Faizan Arif said that Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded minus 7.2°C, which is the lowest December temperature since 1998. The all-time record stands at minus 9.4°C recorded on 31 December 1986. Overall, today's temperature is the ninth lowest recorded in Kupwara district in December. The other plains have recorded the season's coldest night so far, while many hilly areas remained warmer than the Kashmir plains due to the absence of snow cover. In north Kashmir's Gulmarg resort, the minimum temperature plunged to -6.2°C, while Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded a biting low of -8.6°C. MeT said Qazigund, Kokernag, Pulwama, and Shopian in south Kashmir stood at -8.2°C, -5.8°C, -10.3 °C and 10.4°C. Over the last few weeks, the Kashmir valley has been recording sub-zero temperature. The 'Chillai-Kalan,' the 40 days known for its freezing weather and snow spells, begins each year on December 21 and lasts until January 30. According to the MeT, the cold wave is expected to persist in isolated areas of Kashmir. The MeT said there is a possibility of a slight rise in minimum temp by 1-2°C during the next two days and thereafter again fall by 2-3°C till December 26. The MeT also predicted light snowfall or rain is expected over higher reaches of Jammu-Kashmir, from Saturday night to the morning of Sunday...////...