SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir is likely to witness fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rain and thunderstorms over the next 24 hours, with the Meteorological Centre Srinagar warning of isolated thunder, lightning and gusty winds in parts of the Kashmir division and more intense weather activity in the Jammu division.
According to the weather bulletin issued by the Meteorological Centre Srinagar at 11 am on Wednesday, maximum temperatures during the past 24 hours remained 0-4 degrees Celsius above normal at many places in Kashmir and 0-2 degrees above normal at many places in the Jammu division.
Kupwara recorded the highest maximum temperature in Kashmir at 33.3 degrees Celsius, while Kathua was the hottest in the Jammu division with a maximum of 34 degrees Celsius. The lowest minimum temperature was recorded at Gulmarg in Kashmir at 13 degrees Celsius and at Bhaderwah in Jammu division at 17.9 degrees Celsius.
The weather remained fairly widespread across Jammu and Kashmir, with light to moderate precipitation accompanied by isolated heavy rain and thunder reported at places. Jammu recorded 88.7 mm of rainfall, while Kathua received 76.6 mm. The maximum rainfall recorded through the Jammu AWS network was 94.5 mm.
The Meteorological Centre has forecast fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rain and thunderstorms across J&K during the next 24 hours. Similar weather activity is expected to continue over the subsequent two days.
The seven-day forecast indicates fairly widespread rain and thunderstorms across both Kashmir and Jammu divisions from August 19 to August 22, followed by scattered precipitation on August 23 and isolated activity on August 24 and 25.
For Kashmir, an advisory has been issued for isolated thunder, lightning and gusty winds reaching 30-40 kmph on August 19. No weather warning has been issued for the following days in the Kashmir division.
The Jammu division, however, is expected to remain more vulnerable to adverse weather conditions. The forecast warns of isolated heavy rain, thunder, lightning and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph, along with the possibility of landslides, mudslides, shooting stones and flash floods at vulnerable places from August 19 to August 23.
For Thursday, August 20, Srinagar is expected to receive light to moderate rain or thunderstorms, with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to remain around 27 and 21 degrees Celsius, respectively. Jammu is also forecast to receive light to moderate rain or thunderstorms, with temperatures around 31 and 26 degrees Celsius. Muzaffarabad and Mirpur are expected to record maximum temperatures of around 31 and 30 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Station-wise observations show that Srinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 29.4 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 21.4 degrees Celsius, while Qazigund recorded 27.5 and 19 degrees Celsius, respectively. Pahalgam recorded a maximum of 25.2 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 17.8 degrees Celsius.
Kupwara recorded 30.3 degrees Celsius as the maximum and 19.6 degrees Celsius as the minimum, while Kukernag recorded 27.1 and 18.2 degrees Celsius. Gulmarg recorded a maximum of 20.4 degrees Celsius and the lowest minimum in the Kashmir division at 13 degrees Celsius. Konibal recorded 30.7 and 20.4 degrees Celsius.
In the Jammu division, Jammu recorded a maximum of 32.8 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 23.4 degrees Celsius. Banihal recorded 28.1 and 19.5 degrees Celsius, Batote 26 and 18.1 degrees Celsius, Katra 29.2 and 21.5 degrees Celsius, Bhaderwah 28.8 and 17.9 degrees Celsius, Kathua 32.8 and 24 degrees Celsius, and Mirpur 31.8 and 24.7 degrees Celsius.
Rainfall during the period included 88.7 mm in Jammu, 20.7 mm in Banihal, 28.8 mm in Batote, 48.2 mm in Katra and 76.6 mm in Kathua. The bulletin also recorded rainfall at several other stations, including Ramban, Udhampur, Poonch, Reasi, Doda and Kishtwar.
The Meteorological Centre Srinagar has advised people, particularly those travelling through vulnerable areas of the Jammu division, to remain alert during periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms in view of the possibility of landslides, mudslides, shooting stones and flash floods.
