Srinagar: Sweltering heat conditions continued unabated in Kashmir Valley as Srinagar recorded season’s hottest day and 2nd warmest June day in a decade on Thursday.

A meteorological department official said that the maximum temperature in Srinagar soared to 34.8°C and it was 5.6°C above normal for the season. Today’s temperature surpassed the previous highest of 34.0°C recorded only yesterday and was the second warmest day in June in a decade, the official said. He said barring 3 June 2018 when mercury increased to 35°C, never in a decade the mercury has soared above 34.8 in the summer capital of J&K.

Other places including Pahalgam (29.3°C), Qazigund (34.6°C), Kokernag (32.7°C), Kupwara (33.7°C ) and Gulmarg (26.0°C) also recorded the hottest day of the season so far, he said.

Qagizund and Kokernag, he said, recorded hottest June day in more than a decade
He said Gulmarg recorded hottest June day in nine years as mercury had on 15 June 2014 touched 26.2°C.

Jammu recorded a low of 27.8°C against 30.5°C on the previous night and it was 4.7°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said
Banihal recorded a low of 19.8°C (4.7°C above normal), Batote 21.1°C (3.9°C above normal), Katra 27.2°C (5.2°C below normal) and Bhaderwah 20.0°C (above normal by 5.1°C). Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of 5.2°C and 13.4°C respectively, he said.

Regarding the forecast, he said, mainly dry weather was expected till June 23 “but a brief spell of shower and thunderstorm at one or two places towards late afternoon or evening can’t be ruled out”.

From June 24-28, he said, generally cloudy weather with intermittent light to moderate thundershower at fairly widespread places has been forecast. “Few places over Jammu Division may receive intense showers for a short period,” he said.

Reader correspondent