Srinagar touches 35 deg C, records hottest July day in eight years

Srinagar, Jul 18: Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, and Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded the hottest July day since 2013 on Sunday, officials said.
A meteorological department official said that Srinagar recorded 35 degrees Celsius, over five degrees above normal. Today’s maximum temperature in Srinagar was highest since 29 July 2013 when mercury had shot up to 35.4 degrees Celsius, the official said.
Interesting, Jammu, the winter capital of J&K, recorded a maximum of 36.0 degrees Celsius, just a degree higher than the Srinagar. However it was nearly two degrees above normal of 34.2 degrees in Jammu, the official said.
Qazigund, the gate town of Kashmir, recorded maximum of 32 (against normal of 27.9) degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 30.2 degrees Celsius while Kokernag recorded 31.8 degrees Celsius, the official said.
The border town Kupwara recorded maximum temperature of 35.3 degrees Celsius against normal of 30.5 degree Celsius, he said. It was also the highest day temperature in eight years as the town had recorded 35.8 degree Celsius on 29 July 2013.
World famous skiing and tourist resort Gulmarg in north Kashmir recording maximum of 24.0 degrees Celsius against the normal of 20.8 degree Celsius for this time of the season for the place, the official added.
The meteorological department has already issued a weather advisory for heavy rains and thunder with lightning in Jammu and Kashmir till July 21.
“Lower and Middle level tropospheric winds from north Arabian sea is most likely to interact with Easterly Winds (from Bay of Bengal) from 19th to 21st July,” Meteorologist M H Mir had said in a letter to Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu on July 17.
“The system is most likely to cause widespread Heavy to Very Heavy Rain, Thunder with lightning at most places of Jammu mainly in Pirpanjal Range and plains of Jammu division from 19th to 21st and Moderate to Heavy Rain/ Thunder with lightning in many places of Kashmir division during the period,” he said in the advisory.
The probable impacts, the advisory says includes moderate to high risk of flash flood in J&K.
There would also be temporary disruption of surface traffic mainly on Jammu- Srinagar, Srinagar-Leh, Doda-Kishtawar, Mughal Road from 19th to 21st July 2021.
There would also be landslides and shooting stones at vulnerable places, water logging and minor floods over low lying areas besides suspension of agricultural and horticultural operations during period, the advisory adds. (GNS)