Valley swelters: Srinagar city sees highest day temperature in 7 decades, Pahalgam simmers too

The soaring temperatures in Pahalgam coincide with the annual Amarnath pilgrimage.

Speaking to The Indian Express earlier, Director, Meteorological Department Srinagar, Mukhtar Ahmad, had said, “This was the hottest June since 1978. The average day temperatures for June this year stood between 32 and 33 degrees Celsius. It is some three degrees above normal. The average minimum temperatures, too, have stayed on the higher side.”

The heat has forced the government to advance summer vacations in educational institutions by two weeks to a month. While the schools were shut for summer break from June 23, higher education institutions were closed from June 25. Usually, schools would shut for summer vacations in the second week of July, while higher education institutions would shut in the first or second week of August. July and August are typically the hottest months in the Valley.

The government said it will observe weather conditions before deciding whether to open schools after the summer break or extend the vacations.