Kashmir is experiencing a heat wave, which is expected to continue for the next one week, meteorological department (MeT) officials said on Sunday.
The weather was mainly clear in Kashmir with relatively hot and humid conditions, while the skies were partly cloudy in the Jammu region.
MeT’s local centre director Sonam Lotus said both Kashmir and Jammu regions are experiencing above normal temperatures, adding, “The same weather will likely continue for a week. A heatwave prevailed in plains of Kashmir, Qazigund and Kokernag,”
The day temperatures in Kashmir were 3-6 degrees above normal across various weather stations in the Valley. As against a normal of 28° C, the mercury in summer capital Srinagar hovered above 32° C. Similarly, the northern district of Kupwara witnessed temperatures above 33° C as against the normal of 29° C of the year. The winter capital Jammu is reporting temperatures over 35° C.
Lotus, in a weather update, said clear and dry weather will prevail over the next one week, adding, “Overall, there’s no forecast of any major rain or snowfall for next one week. A brief spell of light rain/snow over higher reaches) at isolated places can’t be ruled out on certain days, in Jammu region, although chances are less.”
Except the abundant rainfall in July this year across Jammu and Kashmir, the monsoon has been mostly deficit. “There was deficit rainfall in both regions in August and September so far,” said Lotus.
Kashmir witnessed more than 80% deficient rainfall in August with the summer capital Srinagar recording the lowest rainfall in 25 years in the month.
MeT data shows that Srinagar witnessed just 9.2 mm rainfall, recording a deficit of 86%. The previous lowest rainfall in Srinagar was recorded in the year 1998 with 8.8 mm precipitation, while the all-time low of 2.7 mm was recorded in 1987.
Officials said the weather was advantageous for farming activities, noting “Weather is favourable for harvesting of crops and expeditions & other outdoor activities.”
Meanwhile, Srinagar recorded its hottest day in September since 2005 on Sunday, amid a heat spell in Kashmir, according to the meteorological department.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, Srinagar on Sunday recorded a maximum temperature of 32.9 degrees Celsius, which was 4.7 notches above normal.
This is the highest maximum temperature recorded in the city in the month of September since 2005.
While the mercury had climbed to 33.4 degrees Celsius on September 6, 2005, the highest day temperature of 35 degrees Celsius was recorded on 18 September 1934, official data showed.
Likewise, Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded 24 degrees Celsius on Sunday, which was 4.9 degrees Celsius above normal as the popular tourist spot saw its hottest day of the month since 27 September 2009.
Qazigund in south Kashmir experienced its hottest September day since 2019, recording a high of 32.4 degrees Celsius on Sunday — five notches above normal .
