Srinagar hits 35.5°C, breaks two-decade record twice

Srinagar, June 21: The Kashmir Valley remained in the grip of an intense heatwave on Friday, with Srinagar recording a maximum temperature of 35.5°C, shattering a two-decade-old temperature record for the second day in a row. The temperature was 6.3°C above the seasonal average, marking the hottest day of the season so far.
According to the Meteorological Department, while Srinagar’s all-time highest June temperature remains 37.8°C, recorded on June 29, 1978, recent years have witnessed a clear trend of rising early-summer temperatures. In 2023 and 2018, the city touched 35.0°C in June, with the peaks occurring on June 23 and June 3, respectively. Other notable highs include 34.7°C in 2021, 34.4°C in 2016, and 34.2°C in 2022. This year, Srinagar had already touched 33.4°C on June 18 before the current heatwave intensified. Even the cooler years have followed a pattern of rising maximums, with only 2019 standing out for its relatively mild June, when the temperature peaked at 30.5°C.
June 4, 2017 posted a high of 33.2°C , and 2020 logged 32.9°C (June 28). 2015 recorded 32.6°C on June 19 and had the lowest June minimum of the decade at 8.9°C on June 1.
Meanwhile, heatwave gripped other parts of the Valley also, Kokernag recorded 33.8°C, which is 7.7°C above normal and the second-highest June temperature ever at that station. Pahalgam, known for its cool climate, touched 31.4°C, 6.0°C above normal. Kupwara registered 34.5°C, 4.6°C above the seasonal average.
Qazigund recorded a maximum of 34.0°C, which is 6.2°C above normal. In the north, Gulmarg—typically among the Valley’s coldest locations—reported 25.6°C, still 4.3°C above normal. Anantnag saw 34.2°C, and Pulwama touched 33.5°C, both above June averages.
In the Jammu division, Jammu city recorded 39.6°C, while Katra logged 38.9°C. Udhampur touched 38.0°C, and Banihal recorded 33.1°C, all showing elevated temperature levels.
Director MeT, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad, said that mostly dry and hot weather is expected to continue till June 21, with the possibility of brief spells of rain or thundershowers accompanied by gusty winds at isolated places towards evening.
“Between June 21 and 22, we are expecting intermittent spells of rain and thundershowers at many locations, especially across the Jammu division. From June 23 to 24, the weather will likely remain generally dry again, though a few isolated areas may receive light rain,” he said.
Dr. Mukhtar added that from June 25 to 27, the weather will turn cloudy with light to moderate rainfall at many places, marking the end of the current dry spell.