Srinagar: Light-to-moderate rainfall across Kashmir on Monday ended the heatwave in the valley, which saw mercury rising to 25-year-high for July on Sunday.
Officials said moderate to heavy rainfall was reported from south Kashmir districts (Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, and Shopian) while light-to-moderate downpour occurred in the rest of the valley, including Srinagar city.
The Met department had forecast rainfall and subsequent drop in maximum temperature for the day.
MeT said that Srinagar recorded maximum of 27.7°C, Qazigund 28.4°C, Pahalgam 24.3°C, Kupwara 32.0°C, Kokernag 28.1°C and Gulmarg 20.8°C.
Srinagar city on Sunday recorded the hottest day in July since 1999 as the mercury rose to 36.2 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund and Kokernag towns in south Kashmir recorded their hottest ever day in July on Sunday.
Qazigund recorded maximum temperature of 35.6 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous high of 34.5 degrees Celsius recorded on July 11, 1988.
In Kokernag, the mercury rose to 34.1 degrees Celsius against the previous high of 33.3 degrees Celsius recorded on July 3 this year.
The education department announced a two-day holiday on Monday and Tuesday for students up to primary level in view of the heatwave.
Reports of light to moderate rainfall came in from various parts of the valley.
The Meteorological Centre in Srinagar forecast rain and thundershowers for many parts of the Kashmir Division, including Gulmarg, Tangmarg, and parts of Baramulla, Doodh Pathri, Khan Sahib, and surrounding areas of Badgam. Additional areas expecting rain include Pulwama, Shopian, Qazigund, Anantnag, and parts of Srinagar and Ganderbal. Some areas may experience brief intense showers.
Over the next two days, MeT said, the weather will continue to be generally cloudy with intermittent light to moderate rain and thundershowers in many parts of the Kashmir Division and widespread areas of the Jammu Division.
From August 1 to 7, the weather is expected to remain generally cloudy with intermittent light to moderate rain and thundershowers in many places in the Kashmir Valley and most areas in the Jammu Division, the weather office said.
The Meteorological Office has issued an advisory warning that intense showers for brief periods may cause flash floods, cloudbursts, landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones in vulnerable areas of Jammu and Kashmir. There is also a possibility of heavy rainfall in a few places in the Jammu Division.

KR Desk