Srinagar: As the weather patterns continue to throw surprises, Srinagar and Gulmarg on Saturday recorded an all-time highest day temperature for February, as the Kashmir Valley continues to witness temperatures far above the seasonal average.
A Meteorological department official said that day temperatures across several parts of Kashmir have been settling 9-11 degrees Celsius above normal, and bright sunshine over the past few days has pushed mercury levels significantly higher than usual winter readings.
As per officials, Srinagar recorded a maximum of 21.0 °C, which was 10 °C above normal, breaking the record of 2016 when the city had recorded a high of 20.6°C, which stood as one of the highest February temperatures for the city.
The ski resort of Gulmarg, which is readying to host Khelo India, recorded a maximum temperature of 11.5°C, which was 9.5 degrees above normal. It marked the highest-ever day temperature for February in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, surpassing the previous record set on February 11, 1993.
Other weather stations across the Valley also reported above-normal temperatures. In south Kashmir, Kokernag recorded the second-highest February temperature of 18.3 degrees Celsius. The all-time high for this location is 18.4 degrees Celsius, which was recorded on February 29, 2016. Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a maximum of 20.0°C.
The Meteorological Department has said that the maximum temperatures are expected to rise further by 1-2 degrees in many areas over the next six days.
