Srinagar, Feb 8: The data released by the Meteorological Department here Thursday said that January 2024 has marked a significant climatic anomaly in Jammu and Kashmir with several parts experiencing the warmest January in 43 years.
Srinagar city, the capital, and other areas saw temperatures soaring, accompanied by a notable lack of precipitation.
In contrast to typical winter conditions, Srinagar faced its second driest January in four decades, recording a mere 3 mm of precipitation throughout the month.
This is a stark deviation from historical averages with January 2018 holding the record for the lowest precipitation at 1.2 mm.
The MeT findings state that the mean maximum temperature for January in Srinagar stood at 11.9 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a mean maximum temperature of 5.7 degrees Celsius, and Banihal in Ramban district registered a mean maximum temperature of 16.9 degrees Celsius.
Jammu City recorded its lowest mean maximum temperature for January in over 40 years.
“January 2024 was one of the driest and warmest Januarys in the last 43 years for most stations in J&K except the plains of Jammu (Jammu, Samba, and Kathua),” the MeT data revealed.
Jammu station observed a mean maximum temperature of 13.4 degrees Celsius in January, the lowest since 1983, further underscoring the unusual weather patterns witnessed across the region.
Additionally, the mean minimum temperatures for January were recorded as minus 3.2 degrees Celsius for Srinagar, 5.5 degrees Celsius for Jammu, minus 3.9 degrees Celsius for Gulmarg, and 0.1 degree Celsius for Banihal.
The MeT emphasised that the mean minimum temperature observed in Gulmarg was among the highest recorded in the past 43 years.
The climate anomalies observed in January 2024 raise concerns about the potential impact on various sectors, including agriculture, water resources, and tourism, which heavily rely on seasonal weather patterns.
As scientists continue to monitor and analyse these deviations, it underscores the importance of understanding and adapting to changing climatic conditions in the region.