Owais Gul
Srinagar, Jan 10: The unexpected rise in the maximum temperature amidst the ongoing prolonged dry spell is a cause of concern for everyone as the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir has been witnessing warmer days than the outside states with experts claiming that it will have serious repercussions in the future.
The Meteorological department ( MeT) here has informed that Srinagar has recorded above 7-8 degree Celsius and 6-7 degree Celsius day temperatures respectively on Tuesday and Wednesday.
As per the data, the national capital Delhi and other places including Chandigarh and Jammu are witnessing colder days than Srinagar.
Director MeT, said that the maximum temperature has recorded a rise in Srinagar and a few other parts, which will continue till January 20.
“Such a temperature during the day is a cause of concern as it will certainly end up in water scarcity and other related issues in the times to come,” he said.
Dr Muhammad Muslim, an environmentalist, who is also Assistant Professor at Kashmir University’s Environmental Sciences department, said that it will surely have an impact as the winter season is known as the recharging period, but the rising temperatures will have impact even on the glaciers as well.
“If conditions continue to remain so, there is every possibility that our soil will become conducive for growth as well,” he said, adding that such a temperature will have a significant impact on water regime also.
“It will have larger consequences in terms of everything. Our climate is altogether changing,” he said.
Srinagar recorded a day temperature 12.9 degree Celsius against yesterday’s 14.2 degree Celsius. Qazigund recorded a maximum temperature of 13.2 degree Celsius while in Jammu it settled at 9.0 degree Celsius.
Moreover, the MeT here has predicted generally dry weather till January 20, adding that a few feeble Western Disturbances are approaching on January 12th and 17th.
“Generally cloudy with light snow over isolated higher reaches is possible on 17th Jan,” he said.
Pertinently, the parts of Kashmir continued to witness sub-zero temperature amidst the ongoing 40-day harshest winter period, Chillai-Kalan, which commenced on December 21, 2023 and will end on January 31.
Srinagar has recorded a low of minus 5.0 degree Celsius while Qazigund, the gateway of Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4.4 degree Celsius. Gulmarg, a famous ski-resort, has recorded a low of minus 5.0 degree Celsius.
Pahalgam, a famous tourist place, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 6.3 degree Celsius. In Kupwara, the mercury settled at minus 4.7 degree Celsius while in Kokernag, a minimum temperature of minus 2.4 degree Celsius was recorded.
