Srinagar, June 24: The summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir recorded its hottest day of the year on Tuesday, with temperatures soaring to 35.5°C—6.3°C above the seasonal average—marking a significant spike amid a prolonged heatwave across the Valley.
As per MeT records, this is the highest temperature recorded in Srinagar this year, surpassing June 2023’s peak of 35.0°C on June 23, which itself was the hottest June in a decade. While that figure matched the previous high from 2018, 2023 stood out due to persistently elevated maximum and minimum temperatures throughout the month.
As per MeT records, June 2023 was the hottest June in Srinagar in a decade, with temperatures peaking at 35.0°C on June 23. That matched the high recorded in 2018, but 2023 stood out for consistently elevated maximum and minimum temperatures throughout the month.
So far, June 2024 has seen a high of 33.4°C on June 18, continuing the trend of above-normal temperatures. While the all-time highest June temperature in Srinagar remains 37.8°C, recorded in 1978, the increasing number of days above 33°C points to a steady warming pattern across the Valley.
Night temperatures have also risen over the years. The warmest June night in the last decade was 20.4°C on June 21, 2016, while the lowest in recent memory was 8.9°C on June 1, 2015, still warmer than the record low of 7.2°C set in 1935.
Meanwhile the Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an advisory warning of heavy rainfall, flash floods, and related hazards in the coming days.
As per MeT Department, several places in the Valley reported significantly above-normal temperatures.
Qazigund touched 33.6°C (6.2°C above normal), Pahalgam 30.6°C (5.8°C above normal), Kupwara 34.7°C (5.0°C above normal), Kokernag 33.2°C (6.0°C above normal), and Gulmarg recorded 26.0°C, which is 6.0°C above normal.
Srinagar’s minimum temperature stood at 22.4°C, 15.8°C above normal, while evening humidity levels dropped to 38 percent.
In Jammu region, the weather trend was varied. Jammu city recorded 34.1°C, which is 3.5°C below normal. Banihal recorded 30.6°C, Batote 28.2°C, Katra 30.7°C, and Bhaderwah 33.2°C.
Leh and Kargil in Ladakh also witnessed unusually high temperatures, recording 31.5°C and 34.6°C respectively.
Director Meteorological Department, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad told Rising Kashmir that a significant change is expected in the coming days.
“The weather is likely to remain generally cloudy with intermittent light to moderate rainfall at many places from June 25 to 27. There is also a possibility of heavy rain at isolated locations in the Jammu Division during this period,” he said. ”
Dr Mukhtar said that they are monitoring the system closely, and advisories have been issued to minimize the risk to life and property.
The forecast further indicates that scattered rainfall and thundershowers may continue intermittently between June 28 and July 2.
As per the IMD advisory, there is possibility of moderate to heavy rain with intense showers in parts of the Jammu Division, which could lead to flash floods, landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones, especially in vulnerable hilly regions.
Waterlogging is also expected in low-lying areas of Jammu plains, with a likely rise in water levels in rivers and nallahs. Farmers have been advised to suspend irrigation, pesticide spraying, and fertilizer application during this period.
