At 36.2°C, Srinagar sees hottest day in 25 years
At 24.6 degrees, Srinagar recorded the third high minimum temperature in 132 years, the meteorologist said
The summer capital recorded the highest temperature in 25 years on Sunday as the temperature soared to 36.2 degrees Celsius, according to India Meteorological Department data.
The meteorological observatory in Srinagar logged a maximum temperature of 36.2 degrees, the highest day temperature in 25 years, while the Qazigund and Kukernag weather stations saw highest ever day temperatures of 35.6 and 34.1 degrees, respectively. The temperatures were above normal by 6.3, 7.7 and 8.7 degrees, respectively, in the three stations, indicating a severe heatwave.
Sunday’s temperature in Srinagar was the highest July temperature since 1999, said Mukhtar Ahmad, director of the weather office in the capital city. The all time highest maximum temperature in July has been 38.3 degrees on July 10, 1946, second highest of 37 degrees on July 9, 1999, third highest of 36.6 degrees 1997 and the fourth highest of 36.2 degrees on Sunday, Ahmad said.
The valley has been witnessing drought-like conditions this month with the dried riverbed of Jhelum becoming prominent at many places. Hundreds of men and women in central Kashmir’s Budgam gathered to march towards the shrine of a Sufi saint praying for rain.
People have visited the shrine as was the tradition in the area to seek help from god, an area resident said. “Our fathers and forefathers have been here, so we are here again. Kashmir has been reeling under heat and water scarcity,” he said, declining to be named.
June and July have recorded deficit rainfall in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in the Himalayan valley, with most districts recording 60% to 70% deficit rainfall. Against a normal of 101 mm, Srinagar has received just 33 mm of rainfall between June 1 and July 24. Similarly, Shopian in south Kashmir recorded 20.8 mm against a normal of 107 mm, while Anantnag saw 55 mm of rain against the normal 138.7 mm.
Qazigund in Annatnag district, the gateway to south Kashmir, witnessed the highest ever temperature of 35.6 degrees, Ahmad said. Its previous highest was 34.5 degrees on July 11, 1988. “Kukernag in south Kashmir also witnessed highest ever temperature of 34.1 degreeson Sunday,” he said.
The high temperatures in Kashmir comes even as the Jammu region saw rains. In the past 24 hours, till 8.30 am on Sunday, the rainfall in Rajouri was 88.4 mm, Jammu 64.4mm, Katra 21.6 mm and Kathua 20.8 mm, Ahmad said.
Night temperatures have also broken records in the Kashmir valley. At 24.6 degrees, Srinagar recorded the third high minimum temperature in 132 years, the meteorologist said. It was 5.8 degrees above normal.
The 2nd all-time highest minimum temperature was recorded on 26 July 2021 at 24.8°C. “Today’s night temperature in Srinagar was comparable to the daytime temperatures usually experienced in mid-May,” said Faizan Arif, an independent weather spotter in the valley.
There are chances of rainfall in the valley, which is expected to bring relief from the scorching heat, the weather bureau said. “On 28th July, the forecast is of brief spell of rain/thundershower at isolated places of Kashmir Division & light to moderate rain/thundershower at many places of Jammu Division,” the weather update said.
Similarly, July 29-31 may see generally cloudy weather with intermittent spells of light to moderate rain at some places in Jammu and Kashmir, it said. “Intense showers for brief period with possibility of landslides, mudslides and shooting stones over few vulnerable places with possibility of heavy rainfall at few places of Jammu division. Significant fall in day temperature from 29th July onwards,” the Met department said.
Srinagar: 36.2°C
Qazigund 35.6
Kukernag 34.1
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