SRINAGAR — Kashmir is witnessing an unusually warm winter, with day temperatures rising 9–11 degrees above normal in several areas, making February so far the warmest in about a decade, officials said on Friday.
Day temperatures have remained significantly above seasonal averages over the past few days amid bright sunshine across the Valley.
On Thursday, maximum temperatures stayed 9–11 degrees above normal at many places. Srinagar recorded a high of 20.1 degrees Celsius 9.7 degrees above the seasonal average, the highest February temperature since 2016, when the city touched 20.6 degrees on February 24.
At Gulmarg, the mercury climbed to 11.4 degrees Celsius, 9.9 degrees above normal. The temperature also matched an all-time February record in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, last recorded on February 11, 1993.
Other weather stations across the Valley also reported temperatures well above average.
Independent weather forecaster Faizan Arif said the heat spell in the Valley was just getting started.
“As predicted earlier, a few temperature records have already been broken. But this does not mark the end of the warm spell. Several more records are likely to be challenged in the coming days,” Arif said, adding that February is shaping up to be among the warmest on record in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Meteorological Department said the month is likely to remain largely dry, with no major rain or snowfall expected till the end of February. Kashmir is currently facing a 56 per cent rainfall deficit, while Jammu is short by 35 per cent.
Weather is expected to stay mostly dry, with only a possibility of light rain or snow at isolated places on February 27–28. MeT officials also warned of a further rise in both minimum and maximum temperatures across Kashmir over the next seven days. — (PTI)