Srinagar: Srinagar and other places in Kashmir Valley recorded its hottest day of the season so far with the mercury touching 33.3°C in the summer capital on Tuesday.
The maximum temperature in Srinagar was 4.1°C above normal for the season, and surpassed the previous highest of 31.8°C recorded on June 18, a Meteorological department official here said.
Other places including Pahalgam (27.8°C), Qazigund (32.6°C), Kokernag (31.4°C), Kupwara (32.1°C ) and Gulmarg (23.4°C) also recorded the hottest day of the season.
Also, minimum (night) temperature recorded an increase at most places and settled above normal across J&K.
The meteorological department official said Srinagar recorded a low of 18.2°C against 16.9°C on the previous night and it was above normal by 2.4°C for the summer capital.
Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of 16.2°C against 15.2°C on the previous night and it was above normal by 1.9°C for the gateway town of Kashmir.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of 9.1°C against 9.6°C on the previous night and it was 0.5°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
In Kupwara town, he said, the mercury settled at 14.1°C against 13.2°C on the previous night and it was above normal by 1.3°C for the north Kashmir area.
Kokernag recorded a low of 15.4°C against 16.1°C on the previous night and it was 1.4°C above normal for the place, the officials said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of 10.2°C against 10.5°C on previous night and it was above normal by 1.8°C for the world-famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.
Jammu recorded a low of 26.1°C against 21.7°C on the previous night and it was 0.4°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.
Banihal recorded a low of 17.3°C (2.2°C above normal), Batote 19.2°C (2.0°C above normal), Katra 23.6°C (1.6°C below normal) and Bhaderwah 18.2°C (above normal by 3.3°C). Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of 8.0°C and 11.9°C respectively, he said.
Regarding the forecast, he said, from June 20-23, mainly dry weather was expected “but a brief spell of shower/thunderstorm at 1 or 2 places towards late afternoon/evening can’t be ruled out.”
From June 24th-28, he said, generally cloudy weather with intermittent light to moderate thunderstorms was expected at scattered to fairly widespread places.
“Maximum temperature over many parts of Kashmir Division is likely to range between 30-32°C and 38-40°C over plains of Jammu, ” he said, adding, “Hot and dry weather is likely to continue till June 23.”
