Srinagar: Kashmir has been reeling under intense heat wave with several places in the valley recording their highest July temperature in 25 years on Sunday.
According to the meteorological office here, Srinagar city recorded a high of 36.2 degrees Celsius on Sunday. This was hottest July day since July 9, 1999 when the mercury had settled at 37 degrees Celsius.
The hottest July day in Srinagar was recorded on July 10, 1946 with mercury rising to 38.3 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund and Kokernag towns in south Kashmir also recorded their hottest July day on Sunday.
Qazigund noted a maximum temperature of 35.6 degrees Celsius, beating the previous high of 34.5 degrees Celsius recorded on July 11, 1988.
In Kokernag, the mercury rose to 34.1 degrees Celsius, against the previous or 33.3 degrees Celsius recorded on July 3 this year.
The mercury in this south Kashmir town had touched 33 degrees only once earlier on July 8, 1993.
The Met has forecast spell of rain at isolated places of Kashmir valley over the years next 24 hours, which is expected to bring down the mercury.
Meanwhile, Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded the hottest night of the season at 24.6 degree Celsius.
The temperature, however, was 5.8 degree Celsius above normal and was the third highest temperature in the last 132 years, informed an Independent Weather Forecaster, Faizan Arif Keng to Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
The 2nd all-time highest minimum temperature was recorded on 26 July 2021 at 24.8 degree Celius while the all-time highest temperature was recorded at 25.2 degree Celsius on 21 July 1988, he said.
Pertinently, the parts of Jammu and Kashmir are expected to witness a significant decline in the temperature as there is a possibility of rains in the Union Territory from torrmow.
Today’s night temperature in Srinagar was comparable to the daytime temperatures usually experienced in mid-May, he said.
