SRINAGAR: The Meteorological Centre Srinagar on Friday forecast an active spell of weather across Jammu and Kashmir over the next seven days, predicting widespread to fairly widespread light to moderate rain and thunderstorms while warning of isolated heavy rainfall, lightning, gusty winds, flash floods, landslides and mudslides in vulnerable areas, particularly across the Jammu division.
According to the weather office, fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rain and thunderstorms are likely across Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours, while scattered to fairly widespread rain and thundershowers are expected during the subsequent two days.
The extended outlook indicates that rainfall activity will continue across the Union Territory till July 9, with widespread or fairly widespread precipitation likely over both the Kashmir and Jammu divisions on most days.
The Kashmir division is expected to witness fairly widespread rainfall on July 3 and from July 7 to July 9, while scattered rainfall is likely between July 4 and July 6. The Jammu division, meanwhile, is likely to experience widespread rainfall on July 3 and again from July 6 to July 8, with fairly widespread rain expected on July 4, 5 and July 9.
The department has warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph, reaching up to 60 kmph at isolated places during the next five days. It said isolated heavy rain with brief intense showers is likely over parts of the Jammu division on Friday.
The weather office has also cautioned about the possibility of flash floods, landslides, mudslides and shooting stones at vulnerable places from July 3 to July 6, advising people, particularly those travelling on hilly roads, to remain cautious.
The five-day district forecast indicates light rainfall over most districts of Kashmir, while moderate rainfall is likely across large parts of the Jammu division. Rainfall intensity is expected to increase over the plains of Jammu, Samba, Kathua and adjoining districts on July 5 and July 6, where heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places.
Weather warning maps issued by the IMD show no major warning for most districts of Kashmir after July 4, whereas Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch remain under ‘Be Aware’ or ‘Be Prepared’ categories during the next few days because of the possibility of heavy rain and thunderstorms.
For Saturday (July 4), Srinagar is likely to witness a partly cloudy sky with very light rain or thundershowers, with the maximum temperature expected to hover around 30°C and the minimum around 20°C. Jammu is also likely to experience a partly cloudy sky with very light rain or thundershowers, with temperatures likely to settle around 36°C and 27°C, respectively.
During the past 24 hours, maximum temperatures remained 0-2 degrees Celsius above normal at most places in the Kashmir division and up to four degrees below normal at many places in the Jammu division. Srinagar recorded the highest maximum temperature in the Kashmir division at 29.1°C, while Kathua was the hottest place in the Jammu division with 35.8°C.
Minimum temperatures remained 0-4 degrees above normal across many parts of Kashmir and one to two degrees below normal at several places in Jammu. Gulmarg recorded the lowest minimum temperature in Kashmir at 12.9°C, while Bhaderwah was the coldest in the Jammu division at 17.5°C.
The latest station observations showed Srinagar recording a maximum temperature of 29.1°C and a minimum of 19.3°C, Qazigund 28.5°C/18.0°C, Pahalgam 22.1°C/15.3°C, Kupwara 28.7°C/17.5°C, Kukernag 27.6°C/17.1°C, Gulmarg 21.6°C/12.9°C, Konibal 29.2°C/17.2°C, Jammu 34.5°C/26.2°C, Banihal 28.0°C/19.4°C, Batote 25.1°C/19.6°C, Katra 32.0°C/23.0°C, Bhaderwah 26.5°C/17.5°C and Kathua 35.8°C/26.8°C.
Rainfall during the past 24 hours was recorded at several places, with Udhampur receiving the highest 85 mm, followed by Rajouri 15.4 mm, Pahalgam 10.4 mm, Katra 5.2 mm, Doda 4 mm, Kupwara 3.4 mm, Kulgam 3.5 mm, Ganderbal 3.5 mm, Bandipora 3 mm, Kishtwar 3 mm, Qazigund 3.2 mm, Kukernag 3.4 mm, Konibal 2 mm, Anantnag 2 mm, Srinagar 1.2 mm, Bhaderwah 1.4 mm, Baramulla 0.5 mm, Jammu 0.7 mm, Batote 0.8 mm, while several stations, including Gulmarg, Banihal, Pulwama, Shopian, Samba, Budgam, Poonch and Reasi, recorded either trace or negligible rainfall. Snow depth remained nil across all stations.
The Meteorological Centre has advised residents, tourists and Amarnath Yatra pilgrims to remain updated with official weather advisories and exercise caution while travelling through vulnerable areas, particularly in the Jammu division, where heavy rain, strong winds and the risk of flash floods, landslides and shooting stones are expected during the ongoing wet spell.
