Srinagar: The mercury in Jammu and Kashmir is on record-breaking spree as Qazigund, the gate town of the Valley recorded highest ever day temperature during the month of May while Pahalgam and Kokernag endured second warmest day in last 23 and 22 years respectively.
A meteorological department official said that maximum temperature in Qazigund scaled to 34°C, breaking the previous highest record of 43 years when day mercury was recorded at 33.6°C on 31 May 1981.
Pahalgam endured the second highest temperature ever during May as mercury rose to 28.6°C and it was little over a degree Celsius below the all-time high recorded for the world famous resort, witnessed on 23 May 2000 when the maximum of 30.8°C was recorded on 23 May 2000.
Also Kokernag recorded the second highest maximum temperature at 31.6°C and it was the highest in the last 22 years as the mercury had touched 32.6°C on 15 May 2001, he said.
At 34.6°C, Bhaderwah recorded its highest day temperature in 23 years, just a notch below 34.7°C on 26 May 2024 and 37.6°C on 30 May 2000, he said.
He said Jammu recorded maximum temperature 42.8°C, Katra 39°C, Srinagar 32.2°C, Kupwara 30.9°C and Gulmarg 22.2°C.
Regarding the forecast, the MeT office said that till May 29, generally dry weather is expected even as the possibility of thundershower activity at isolated places can’t be ruled out.
From May 30-31, he said, partly to generally cloudy weather is expected with light rain/thunder at isolated places.
From June 1-2, weather is likely to be partly to generally cloudy with light rain/thunder at isolated places. From June 3-5, generally dry weather is expected.
He said no respite in heat wave or hot & dry weather conditions is expected over plains of Jammu Division during next 7 days.
At the same time, he said, slight relief from Heat wave/Hot & dry weather conditions is expected during May 30-31 and June 1-2 in most parts of Kashmir Division as well as few hilly areas of Jammu Division.
“Another spell of heat wave is expected from June 3 onwards,” he said and urged people to avoid heat exposure besides drinking a lot of fluid and water.
Meanwhile, night temperature also continued to stay above normal with Srinagar recording a low of 15.6°C against 15.1°C on the previous night and it was 3.6°C above normal for the summer capital of JK for this time of the year.
Qazigund recorded a minimum of 12.4°C against 12.6°C on the previous night and it was 1.7°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.
Pahalgam recorded a low of 7.7°C against 8.3°C on the previous night and it was 1.6°C above normal for the famous resort in south Kashmir.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum of 13.6°C against 13.2°C and it was 3.0°C above normal, the official said.
Kupwara town recorded a minimum of 12.0°C against 11.5°C on the previous night and it was above normal by 1.4°C for the place, the official said.
Gulmarg recorded a minimum of 11.2°C against 11.0°C on the previous night and it was above normal by 4.1°C for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Jammu, he said, recorded a low of 24.7°C against 24.5°C on the previous night and it was below normal by 0.2°C for the winter capital of J&K. Banihal recorded a low of 15.2°C, Batote 19.0°C and Bhaderwah 15.6°C, he said. (GNS)
