Sweltering heat conditions continued unabated in Kashmir Valley as Srinagar recorded season’s hottest day and 2nd warmest June day in a decade on Thursday.
A meteorological department official here told GNS that the maximum temperature in Srinagar soared to 34.8°C and it was 5.6°C above normal for the season. Today’s temperature surpassed the previous highest of 34.0°C recorded only yesterday and was the second warmest day in June in a decade, the official said. He said barring 3 June 2018 when mercury increased to 35°C, never in a decade the mercury has soared above 34.8 in the summer capital of J&K.
Other places including Pahalgam (29.3°C), Qazigund (34.6°C), Kokernag (32.7°C), Kupwara (33.7°C ) and Gulmarg (26.0°C) also recorded the hottest day of the season so far, he said.
Qagizund and Kokernag, he said, recorded hottest June day in more than a decade He said Gulmarg recorded hottest June day in nine years as mercury had on 15 June 2014 touched 26.2°C.
Night temperature also saw increase at most places as Srinagar recorded a low of 20.5°C against 19.7°C on the previous night and it was above normal by 4.79°C for the summer capital.
Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of 17.2°C against 17.4°C on the previous night and it was above normal by 2.9°C for the gateway town of Kashmir.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of 11.3°C against 10.6°C on the previous night and it was 2.2°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
In Kupwara town, he said, the mercury settled at 17.4°C against 16.5°C on the previous night and it was above normal by 3.3°C for the north Kashmir area.
Kokernag recorded a low of 17.7°C against 18.0°C on the previous night and it was 3.6°C above normal for the place, the officials said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of 13.5°C against 13.6°C on previous night and it was above normal by 3.8°C for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.
Jammu recorded a low of 27.8°C against 30.5°C on the previous night and it was 4.7°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal recorded a low of 19.8°C (4.7°C above normal), Batote 21.1°C (3.9°C above normal), Katra 27.2°C (5.2°C below normal) and Bhaderwah 20.0°C (above normal by 5.1°C). Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of 5.2°C and 13.4°C respectively, he said.
Regarding the forecast, he said, mainly dry weather was expected till June 23 “but a brief spell of shower and thunderstorm at one or two places towards late afternoon or evening can’t be ruled out”.
From June 24-28, he said, generally cloudy weather with intermittent light to moderate thundershower at fairly widespread places has been forecast. “Few places over Jammu Division may receive intense showers for a short period,” he said. (GNS)