Srinagar, Dec 20 : Dry cold weather with night temperatures remaining below the freezing point in Ladakh and Kashmir is expected to continue during the next 24 hours, the Meteorological (MeT) office said on Tuesday. "Dry cold weather with sub-zero night temperature is likely to continue in J&K and Ladakh during the next 24 hours," an official of the MeT department said. The 40-day long period of harsh winter, called the 'Chillai Kalan' begins during the intervening night of December 21 and 22. This period of harsh winter cold will end on January 30, 2023. Srinagar had minus 3.4, Pahalgam minus 5.4 and Gulmarg minus 4 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature. In the Ladakh region, both Kargil and Leh town had minus 11.8 as the minimum temperature. Jammu had 6.7, Katra 7.5, Batote 2.1, Banihal minus 1.2 and Bhaderwah 0.3 as the minimum temperature. /IANS