Gurez, Drass receive light snowfall
Srinagar: After a gap of over a decade, Srinagar recorded 15 degree Celsius on Saturday as previously in the year 2010, the mercury in the city had shot to 15.8 degree Celsius.
With 15.0 degree Celsius, the summer capital has recorded the sixth hottest day in the month of January in the last 133 years.
According to the data January has recorded the hottest days in the past as well while the all-time highest temperature has been recorded on 23 Jan 1902 at 17.2 degree Celsius. The second highest temperature was recorded on 25 Jan 2010 at 15.8 degree Celsius while the third highest was recorded on 31 Jan 2001 at 15.7 degree Celsius.
As per the data, the fourth and fifth highest temperature has been recorded on 09 Jan 1976 and 23 Jan 2003 at 15.5 degree Celsius and 15.1 degree Celsius respectively. Therefore, today’s maximum temperature is considered as the sixth highest so far since the observatory was set up in the year 1892.
The other parts of Kashmir have also recorded the highest temperature, surpassing the previous records as well.
Qazigund recorded the hottest January day in the last 14 years at 15.8 degree Celsius, which is the 3rd highest since 1956 while the all-time highest temperature is 16.2 degree Celsius on 31 Jan 2001.
Pahalgam recorded the hottest January day in the last six years at 13.1 degree Celsius, which is the 3rd highest since 1978 while the all-time highest temperature is 13.8 degree Celsius on 14 Jan 2018.
The details shared by an Independent Weather Forecaster, Faizan Arif Keng stated that Kupwara recorded the hottest January day in the last nine years at 15.8 degree Celsius, which is the 4th highest since 1977 while the all-time highest temperature is 16.9 degree Celsius on 08 Jan 2015.
Batote recorded the hottest January day in the last nine years at 19.4 degree Celsius, which is the 5th highest since 1977 while the all-time highest temperature was 22.6 degree Celsius on 30 Jan 2015.
Moreover, the weatherman here has predicted mostly dry conditions till January 23. However, the details shared by the Director Meteorological department, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad stated that there is a possibility of light snow over isolated higher reaches on January 16 and 20 under the influence of feeble Western Disturbances (WDs).
Besides, the night temperature also recorded an improvement as after the gap of nearly one month, the minimum temperature in Srinagar has settled above freezing point at 0.2 degree Celsius.
Qazigund, the gateway of Kashmir recorded a low of minus 2.0 degree Celsius while Gulmarg, a famous ski-resort, has recorded a low of minus 1.0 degree Celsius.
Pahalgam, a famous tourist place, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 0.6 degree Celsius. In Kupwara, the mercury settled at minus 0.3 degree Celsius while in Kokernag, a minimum temperature of minus 1.2 degree Celsius was recorded. (With KNO Inputs)
Meanwhile, the Gurez sector in Bandipora district received light snowfall overnight even as minimum temperatures rose a few notches in several places, officials said on Saturday.
A feeble western disturbance hit Jammu and Kashmir on Friday night due to which light snowfall occurred in the Gurez area in north Kashmir, they said.
Drass in Ladakh also received very light snowfall but there was no accumulation of snow, they said.
Jammu and Kashmir has recorded a 79 percent rain deficit in December. There was no precipitation in the first week of January as well.
