J&K, Ladakh record above normal precipitation in April

Srinagar, May 5: While as there is prediction of hotter days after about a week, union territories Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have received about normal rainfall during the month of April.

Data provided by Meteorological Department reveals that UTs have received an increase of 13 percent rainfall during the month of April. “The precipitation was above normal and it was 113 mm,” MeT officials told Greater Kashmir adding that normal was 99.5 mm of rainfall.

   

The officials said that it was in 2017, when erstwhile state of J&K and Ladakh had recorded 222 mm of rain in April. “That was highest in 15 years,” they said adding that last year in April two regions received normal rainfall in April. MeT officials said that during the month April ski-resort of Gulmarg and Gurez also received light snowfall. Ski-resort they said recorded about 16 cm’s of snowfall during April.

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Kupwara recorded an increase of 127% with 163.5 mm rain in the month.

Baramulla recorded highest 212.6 mm rainfall, an 87% departure from the normal.

Srinagar recorded a 76% increase with 165 mm rains.

Samba recorded an 86% departure from normal and received 46 mm rains.

Poonch with 169 mm rains, followed by Doda with 154 mm precipitation.

Kargil recorded 25.6 mm rainfall, up from a normal of 2.8 mm

It needs to be mentioned here that recently Director Meteorological Department, Sonam Lotus told Greater Kashmir that the maximum temperatures in J&K and Ladakh were already showing an upward trend and recording above normal by 5 degree Celsius.

“There has been an acute shortage of powerful Western Disturbances so far this year -rather in winter,” Lotus had said. “There is a transition from winter to summer and the coming days will be hotter,” he said. “J&K and Ladakh are recording temperatures 5 degrees above normal. Not only J&K and Ladakh, the heat wave will hit the entire north India.” The high temperatures are not unusual as the mean temperature even touched 24 degrees Celsius in Jammu in 2004 and 2010 and in Srinagar the mean temperatures touched 13.6 and 13.7 degrees Celsius in 2004 and 2010.

In 2020, J&K recorded 979.1 mm of rainfall against an average rainfall of 1258.7 mm. There was a deficit of 22 percent. In 2021, the deficiency reached 29 percent when the union territory recorded just about 894.4 mm of rainfall.It was the lowest rainfall since 2010. The months from January to May are ones in which heavy snowfall is recorded in higher reaches which is essential for the formation of glaciers. In the first five months of 2022, J&K recorded a rain deficiency of 38 percent.

Against a normal rainfall of 559.2 mm, J&K received only 345.4 mm of rainfall between January 1 and May 31. In comparison, 34 percent deficiency was witnessed in 2020 and 11.5 percent in 2021 for the same time period. Between June and September 2020, 34 percent deficient rainfall was recorded in J&K and 29 percent in 2021.

In fact, from March to May 2022, J&K received only 99.5 mm of rainfall, which is the lowest spring rainfall since 2005.

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