Kalam Valley

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Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
35°28′48″N 72°35′15″E / 35.4801°N 72.5874°E / 35.4801; 72.5874CountryPakistanProvinceKhyber PakhtunkhwaDistrictSwatElevation
2,001 m (6,565 ft)Population
 (2017)[1]
 • Total23,170Time zoneUTC+5 (PST)

Kalam (Kalami, Pashto, & Urdu: کالام) is a valley located 99 kilometres (62 mi) from Mingora in the northern upper section of Swat Valley along the banks of the Swat River in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.[2][3] The Swat River was formed as a result of the confluence of two major tributaries, the Gabral and Ushu river.[4][5]

At an elevation about 2,000 m (6,600 ft) above sea level, the valley itself provides a plateau that is located above the river and is used for farming.[6] There are a number of visible mountains, also visible from Matiltan, a valley close to Kalam Valley, including Mount Falak Sar at 5,918 meters (19,416 feet), and another unnamed peak at 6,096 meters (20,000 feet) high.[7]

Climate

With a mild, generally warm and temperate climate, Kalam features a Humid continental climate (Dfa) under the Köppen climate classification. The average temperature in Kalam is 13.4 °C (56.1 °F), while the annual precipitation averages 639 mm (25.16 in). November is the driest month with 15 mm (0.59 in) of precipitation, while April, the wettest month, has an average precipitation of 93 mm (3.66 in).

July is the hottest month of the year with an average temperature of 24.1 °C (75.4 °F). The coldest month, January, has an average temperature of 1.5 °C (34.7 °F).

Climate data for Kalam
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 6.9
(44.4) 		8.0
(46.4) 		12.2
(54.0) 		18.0
(64.4) 		22.8
(73.0) 		26.1
(79.0) 		26.4
(79.5) 		25.7
(78.3) 		23.8
(74.8) 		19.6
(67.3) 		13.9
(57.0) 		9.6
(49.3) 		17.8
(63.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) −0.4
(31.3) 		1.0
(33.8) 		5.2
(41.4) 		10.8
(51.4) 		15.3
(59.5) 		18.5
(65.3) 		20.1
(68.2) 		19.4
(66.9) 		16.4
(61.5) 		11.7
(53.1) 		6.6
(43.9) 		2.4
(36.3) 		10.6
(51.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −7.6
(18.3) 		−5.9
(21.4) 		−1.7
(28.9) 		3.7
(38.7) 		7.8
(46.0) 		11.0
(51.8) 		13.8
(56.8) 		13.1
(55.6) 		9.0
(48.2) 		3.8
(38.8) 		−0.7
(30.7) 		−4.7
(23.5) 		3.5
(38.2)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 49
(1.9) 		66
(2.6) 		88
(3.5) 		93
(3.7) 		64
(2.5) 		32
(1.3) 		66
(2.6) 		66
(2.6) 		41
(1.6) 		28
(1.1) 		15
(0.6) 		31
(1.2) 		639
(25.2)
Source: PMD

Lakes

Kundol lake, Utror Kalam Swat

Kalam has numerous alpine glacial lakes. Two notable lakes in the Kalam Valley are the Mahodand lake and Kandol lake, both of which are frequently visited due to their easy access routes. Other lakes in the region, such as Izmis lake, are harder to enter and need to be done so through trekking.

Mahodand Lake is a large lake in the Swat Valley, located approximately 40 km from Kalam, in the Usho Sub-valley, at the base of the Hindu Kush mountains.

Another notable lake in the Kalam Valley is the Kundol Lake, located in the north of Utror region, 19 km away from Kalam. It is located at the base of the Hindu Kush mountains.

Gallery

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kalam Valley.