Srinagar hotter, no relief in sight

As the maximum temperature in the city has gone 10 degrees above normal, the Meteorological Department predicted no relief in the coming days, with only scattered rain expected later this week.
The day temperature in the city reached up to 20 degrees and above throughout the past week, almost 10 degrees hotter than the normal. The normal maximum temperature for this time of the calendar is 11°C.
The maximum temperature in the city on Saturday was recorded at 20.5°C, a 10 degree departure from the normal, while on Tuesday, the maximum temperature touched 20.6°C, the hottest February day in Kashmir in the past 75 years.
Kashmir region has witnessed a rare dry and warm winter this year. The increased day temperature has caused an early bloom of almond flower, which signifies the arrival of spring in the region.
Sonam Lotus, Director, Meteorological Department, said the region recorded temperature above the normal due to absence of rainfall. He said dry weather was likely to continue for few more days.
“The weather will remain dry but the first week of March will see moderate rainfall,” he said.
According to the Meteorological Department’s forecast, the weather will remain dry on Monday and Tuesday, while scattered downpour is expected in the Kashmir region on Wednesday and Saturday this week.