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

The Meteorological Department said that Srinagar city recorded the third-highest day temperature since 1892. In 1953, the city recorded a temperature of 37.7 degrees Celsius on the same day (July 5), just slightly higher than Saturday’s temperature.

The highest-ever temperature in Srinagar was recorded on July 10, 1946, when the city recorded a maximum temperature of 38.3 degrees Celsius.

Met officials also said that the south Kashmir resort of Kokernag recorded the second-highest maximum temperature at 34 degrees Celsius. The highest was recorded on July 28 last year.

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.