Srinagar- Despite morning showers at scattered places, the heat wave continued at isolated places of Kashmir on Friday while as the Met office here has predicted brief spell of rains during the next two days in Jammu & Kashmir.
Parts of Kashmir valley received light rainfall this morning, bringing slight respite from the heat wave in Kashmir.
However, Director Meteorological department (MeT), Sonum Lotus said that the maximum temperature remained normal in Jammu region today.
He further added that the isolated places in Kashmir continued to witness heat wave.
Lotus further said that similar as today, there is a possibility of light rainfall at isolated to scattered places of Jammu & Kashmir during the next two days.
Nonetheless, he said that there is no forecast of any major respite from the prevalent weather conditions for the next one week as the major or good spell of rain is unlikely to occur in J&K during the next one week.
He added that the weather would remain mainly hot and dry for the next one week.
Pertinently, J&K parts witnessed severe heat wave from the past in September as the Valley parts recorded the hottest day in the month of September after decades.
The prolonged dry spell has also led to the water scarcity at multiple places while the lifting irrigations spots have also got affected 25 per cent due to the prevalent weather conditions as the water level in the major water bodies including the river Jhelum, Doodh Ganga and other tributaries has reduced.
On Tuesday, Srinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 34.2 degrees Celsius, six degrees above normal, Met Office (Srinagar) Deputy Director Mukhtar Ahmed said.
He said it was the second-highest maximum temperature ever recorded in September since 1891, when the weather observatory was established.
Ahmed said it broke a 53-year-old record of 33.8 degrees Celsius, recorded on September 1, 1970.
The all-time record is 35.0 degrees Celsius, recorded on September 18, 1934, he added.
There was a forecast of dry weather till Friday and it remained hot and dry across the valley, the Met office deputy director said.However, there was slight rain early on Friday in some areas of Pulwama and Shopian.
The weather has remained generally hot in Kashmir in the last about two decades. The temperature touched 32.7 degrees Celsius in 2017, 2019 and 2021 as well, Ahmed said.
“So, it is not that the weather has been this hot for the first time. This time, it was a bit extended due to which people felt uncomfortable,” he added.
Ahmed said the whole of August and the first week of September remained dry and, because of the extended dry weather, the temperature increased and caused heatwave-like conditions.
“The day temperature has remained 5-6 degrees above normal across most of the stations, thus falling under the heatwave category,” he said.
Ahmed advised children, older people and labourers to take excess fluids.
“There is a drinking water crisis. The water level in rivers and streams has also gone down. The extended dry weather can result in a drop in the yield of paddy and can impact apple cultivation. The absence of rain affects the colour, quality and weight of apples,” he said.The weather office, however, said there is a forecast of light to moderate rain in the valley over a few days from Saturday that can bring respite from the heatwave conditions.
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