Srinagar records season’s hottest day at 35.9°C

Suhail Khan 

---

Srinagar, Jul 18: Srinagar on Saturday recorded its hottest day of the season with the maximum temperature touching 35.9°C, even as the India Meteorological Department warned of an extended wet spell across Jammu and Kashmir from July 19 to 23, accompanied by risks of flash floods and landslides.

An IMD advisory said the prolonged rainy spell is expected due to moisture incursion from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, along with the shifting of the western end of the monsoon trough towards Jammu, north of its normal position.

The MeT office has forecast widespread moderate rain and thundershowers across both Jammu and Kashmir divisions during the five-day period. Isolated heavy rainfall is likely over the Kashmir valley from July 21 to 23.

For the Jammu division, scattered heavy to very heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms has been predicted from July 20 to 23, with isolated extremely heavy rainfall expected over Reasi and Udhampur districts, the advisory said.

 

The weather system could trigger landslides, mudslides, shooting stones and flash floods at vulnerable locations, particularly along the Pir Panjal range in Jammu and in higher reaches of Kashmir, including Anantnag, Pahalgam, Kulgam, Shopian, Gulmarg, Sonamarg-Zojila axis, Bandipora-Razdan Pass and Kupwara-Sadhna Pass, it added.

The IMD cautioned that the adverse weather could disrupt surface transport, including traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and other major roads in the middle and higher reaches of the Union Territory.

The advisory also warned of possible torrential rains, cloudburst-like events, a significant rise in water levels in rivers and streams, waterlogging and minor flooding in low-lying areas, particularly during periods of intense rainfall.

Travellers and tourists have been advised to plan their journeys carefully in view of the forecast. People living in higher reaches have been urged to avoid venturing into landslide-prone areas during the period.

The MeT department also advised farmers to suspend all farming operations and withhold fertiliser application and chemical spraying until the wet spell subsides.

A significant drop in daytime temperatures is expected during the rainy period, the advisory added.

Meanwhile, according to data shared by independent weather forecaster Kashmir Weather, several stations across the Union Territory recorded maximum temperatures significantly above normal on Saturday.

In the Kashmir region, Srinagar recorded 35.9°C, which was 5.8 degrees above normal, while Kupwara settled at 35.6°C, Kokernag at 33.1°C and Qazigund at 32.6°C. Pahalgam recorded 28.9°C, Gulmarg 25.6°C and Phase 1 of Gulmarg registered 21.1°C. Among other stations, Ganderbal and Baramulla both recorded 34.5°C, Bandipora 32.7°C, Pulwama 33.4°C, Kulgam 31.9°C and Shopian 34.4°C. Sonamarg recorded 28.6°C, while Baltal settled at 28.3°C. At the Amarnath Holy Cave, the maximum temperature was 23.8°C, with Sheshnag at 20.2°C, Panchtarni at 23.4°C and Chandanwari at 25.8°C. Sangam recorded 22.5°C and Bararri 22.2°C.

In the Jammu region, the city of Jammu recorded 35.0°C, which was 1 degree above normal. Katra settled at 31.0°C, while Bhaderwah recorded 31.4°C, Banihal 30.2°C and Batote 27.5°C. Kishtwar recorded 30.3°C and Udhampur 31.8°C, while Rajouri settled at 31.1°C. Poonch recorded 33.9°C, Samba 34.1°C and Kathua 34.8°C.

In Ladakh, Nubra Valley recorded the highest temperature at 36.7°C, followed by Kargil at 35.8°C and Leh at 33.4°C.