Urges Avoid Staying Out In Open During Lightning, Thunderstorm Incidents

Srinagar: Amid fatalities due to lightning strikes, weatherman Sunday forecast “high chances” of the weather phenomenon till May 8. Four people died and another was injured in three incidents of lightning in Kashmir Valley in less than 48 hours.
“Chances of lightning are very high in J&K till May 8th. People are advised to stay indoors and avoid staying out in open during lightning and thunderstorm incidents,” an official of the meteorological department said here this evening.
Earlier the Met office forecast more rain, thunderstorm and lightning at most places of the Kashmir Valley and many places of Jammu region.
He said mainly dry weather was expected on May 9-12.
He advised farmers to postpone spraying of orchards and harvesting of crops till May 8.
Tourists have been asked to keep warm clothes and eatables ready as weather will be colder till May 8.
Regarding temperature, he said, Srinagar recorded a low of 6.5°C against 10.4°C on the previous night and it was 4.2°C above normal for the summer capital.
Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of 5.2°C against 8.0°C on the previous night and it was below normal by 4.0°C for the gateway town of Kashmir.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of 2.1°C against 5.4°C on previous night and it was 3.4°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Kokernag recorded a low of 4.2°C against 8.2°C on the previous night and it was 5.0°C below normal for the place, the officials said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of 0.4°C against 4.0°C on previous night and it was 4.8°C below normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.
In Kupwara town, he said, the mercury settled at 6.3°C against 7.4°C as on the previous night and it was 3.0°C below normal for the north Kashmir area.
Jammu recorded a low of 16.1°C against 19.7°C on the previous night and it was 6.9°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.
Banihal recorded a low of 6.3°C (below normal by 4.6°C), Batote 8.3°C (4.5°C below normal), Katra 13.8°C (5.9°C below normal) and Bhaderwah 6.7°C (below normal by 2.9°C). Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 0.8°C, he added.

KR Desk