At 35.40C, Srinagar records hottest day in August in 11 yrs

With no respite from hot weather conditions, the summer capital Srinagar on Friday sizzled at 35.4 degrees Celsius, making it the highest recorded day in August since 2010.

As per Meteorological Department (MeT), Srinagar recorded 6.2 degrees Celsius normal temperature, the highest recorded day in August since 2010.  Friday temperature also breached the highest of the season so far – 34 degrees Celsius recorded on July 3.

As per the MeT data, between 2010 and 2020, the second highest August day temperature recorded in Srinagar was on August 5, 2018, when the mercury touched 35.1 degrees Celsius.

“However, it is for the first time in last one decade that we have seen August temperature in this range. It has been a rain deficit season so far, but we expect some showers in the Valley over the weekend,” said Director MeT, Sonam Lotus.

Interestingly, the winter capital Jammu on Friday recorded 32.2 degrees Celsius, several notches below the temperature recorded in Srinagar. However the humidity levels in Jammu remained much higher.

Lotus said the rainfall deficit in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh was 40 to 50 percent below normal during June and July. “It is a matter of concern. In contrast to most of the states, there is a large rainfall deficit in J&K and Ladakh. The reason for less rainfall is complex, but generally observation is that the wind patterns are not favourable,” Lotus said.

A brief spell of rainfall, during the end of last month, had helped to bring down the temperature by almost 11 degrees Celsius within just 24 hours. Srinagar had recorded a pleasant 22.3 degrees Celsius on July 21 after which temperatures have been soaring due to the dry and hot weather conditions.

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 and Kashmir and Ladakh, has shown a rise 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 says.