Summer capital Srinagar recorded 35.3 degrees Celsius temperature on Sunday, the second hottest day of the season so far. Earlier on August 7, at 35.4 degree C Srinagar witnessed the hottest day in the last one decade since 2010.
Rest of the places in Kashmir also witnessed hot weather conditions on Sunday. Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded 35.8 degrees while ski-resort Gulmarg recorded 26.6 degrees Celsius.
Interestingly, winter capital Jammu on Sunday witnessed 34.7 degrees C temperature which was several notches below that of recorded in most of the places in the Valley.
To escape the heat, several people from the city and towns were seen heading towards various health resorts. With the rising temperatures in the Valley, youngsters were seen taking dips in water bodies at various places.
As per Meteorological Department, “no significant change is expected in the hot weather conditions in next 4 to 5 days.”
As per MeT, the rainfall deficit of 40 to 50 per cent in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh during June and July this year has been a matter of concern.
“In contrast to most of the states, there was large deficit in the rainfall in the two UTs during last two months. The reason for less rainfall is complex, but general observation is that the wind patterns are not favourable,” said a MeT official.
A recent report “Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian region” published by Union Ministry of Earth Sciences has said that Hindukush Himalayas, a part of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, has warmed at a rate of 0.2 degree Celsius per decade during the last 70 years, leading to decline in snow cover and glaciers.
The report says on the contrary, Karakoram Himalayas in recent decades has reported more snowing in winters. However, by the end of the 21st century, “the Hindukush Himalayas would have warmed by 2.6 to 4.6 degrees Celsius”, the report has stated.