Srinagar, Apr 15: Several areas across Kashmir Valley including Srinagar city recorded a significant rise in maximum temperatures on Monday, with anomalies ranging from 8°C to 11°C above normal, according to the Meteorological Department.
Director MeT, Srinagar, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad told Rising Kashmir that Srinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 30.4°C, the second-highest ever for the month of April. The all-time highest April temperature in the city remains 31.1°C, recorded on April 20, 1946, he said.
Dr Mukhtar Ahmad further said that in south Kashmir’s Qazigund, the mercury touched 29.8°C, marking the third-highest April temperature ever recorded at the station.
“The IMD termed the rise as “abnormal and significant,” noting that most weather stations across the Valley registered substantially higher-than-normal day temperatures. The heat spike to a prolonged dry spell and persistent warm westerly winds prevailing over the region,” he said.
Dr Mukhtar said that this kind of temperature deviation is unusual for mid-April in Kashmir and indicates a major departure from climatological norms.
“The sharp rise in temperatures has triggered concerns over early snowmelt in the upper reaches, which could impact water availability and irrigation cycles across the Valley,” he said.
About the forecast, Dr Mukhtar said that from 16-17th April, weather will remain generally dry and clear.
“From 21st April, it is generally cloudy with the possibility of light rain, thunder at scattered places. Then weather will again remain dry till 27th April,” Director MeT said.
Meanwhile Srinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 29.0°C, which is 8.8°C above normal, while the minimum settled at 11.2°C, 3.6°C above normal. Similarly, Qazigund registered a max of 28.6°C (8.9°C above normal) and a min of 9.2°C (2.8°C above normal).
Pahalgam noted a max of 24.4°C, 5.0°C above normal, and a Tmin of 7.1°C, which is 2.1°C above normal. Kupwara and Kokernag also showed high anomalies with max departures of 6.4°C and 8.2°C respectively.
In tourist hotspot Gulmarg, the temperature reached 20.8°C, exceeding the normal by 11.3°C.
In Jammu Division, temperatures also remained well above normal. Jammu city recorded a maximum of 35.5°C, showing a 3.2°C departure, while Banihal, Batote, and Katra recorded max departures ranging from 3.7°C to 4.2°C.
Bhadarwah reported 26.6°C, nearly 3.4°C above normal, while Kathua peaked at 34.8°C, 4.0°C above normal.
Humidity levels varied widely, with Kashmir stations like Pahalgam and Gulmarg recording evening relative humidity (RH) as high as 62% and 38%, respectively, while Jammu region RH ranged between 33% and 76%.
With clear skies and no rainfall recorded at any station, the persistence of higher-than-normal temperatures is raising concerns, particularly for agriculture and water management in both divisions.
