Owais Gul
Srinagar, May 21: There is no letup in the heat wave conditions in Jammu and Kashmir as multiple areas, including Jammu, the winter capital of the region, recorded the season’s hottest day on Wednesday.
Amidst the forecast of hot and dry weather conditions, Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a maximum temperature of 32.0 degrees Celsius.
Jammu city has recorded the hottest day of the season at 41.4 degrees Celsius, while Qazigund, a gateway of Kashmir, has also recorded the season’s highest day temperature at 33.2 degrees Celsius.
Several other areas also witnessed scorching heat with Pahalgam recording a day temperature of 25.8 degrees Celsius, Kupwara at 30.0 degrees Celsius, Kokernag at 31.5 degrees Celsius and Gulmarg, a famous ski resort, at 23.2 degrees Celsius.
However, in Jammu division, Banihal station recorded a day temperature of 30.4 degrees Celsius, Batote at 30.1 degrees Celsius, Katra at 36.8 degrees Celsius and Bhaderwah at 31.3 degrees Celsius.
Director Meteorological department (MeT), Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said the rise in maximum temperature by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius is expected with the possibility of a heatwave at scattered places of Kashmir division till May 23.
He said that generally hot & dry weather is expected with the possibility of a brief spell of light rain at isolated places mainly towards late afternoon till May 26.
Ahmad said that from May 27 to 31, the weather would remain generally hot & dry with the possibility of a brief spell of light rain and thundershower at scattered places.
Meanwhile, the MeT in its advisory said that a rise in maximum temperature by 1-2 degrees Celsius is expected with possibility of a heatwave at scattered places of Kashmir division till May 23 and fall by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius thereafter.
Also, it reads that a rise in maximum temperature is expected by 2-3 degrees Celsius with the possibility of a heatwave over Jammu division till 26th May.
“Possibility of thunder, gusty winds at isolated places towards late afternoon can’t be ruled out,” the advisory reads.
