Records Tumble As Intense Heat Sweeps Valley; Sgr Logs 3rd Highest Temperature on Record, Kupwara Sees Highest in Nearly 2 Decades

Srinagar: A relentless heatwave swept across Kashmir on Saturday, shattering temperature records at multiple locations and pushing the region into one of its hottest spells in decades.

Srinagar sizzled at 37.4°C, marking its third-highest temperature since record-keeping began in 1892 and the highest since 1953, when the city touched 37.7°C. The all-time record of 38.3°C set on July 10, 1946, still stands, but this year’s extreme heat has brought the Valley dangerously close to that historic mark.

The scorching temperatures extended beyond Srinagar, with Qazigund recording 34.6°C, its second-highest July temperature ever, just a degree shy of the 35.6°C witnessed on July 28, 2024. The third-highest for the station remains 34.5°C from July 11, 1988, underlining how rare such heat is for the area.

In Kokernag, the mercury climbed to 34.0°C, making it the second-highest July temperature on record. The current reading is narrowly below the highest-ever temperature of 34.1°C, set on July 28, 2024, with 33.5°C from July 22, 2024 rounding off the top three.

Even the picturesque hill station of Pahalgam, traditionally known for its cool weather, couldn’t escape the brutal heat. The town recorded an all-time high of 31.6°C, edging past its previous record of 31.5°C set just last year on July 21, 2024. This marks the highest temperature ever registered in Pahalgam’s history.

Meanwhile, Kupwara baked at 35.9°C, the hottest temperature recorded there since 2006. Though still below the district’s record high of 36.9°C from July 10, 2006, today’s temperature is the highest in nearly two decades, underscoring the intensity of this current heatwave. (With inputs from MeT Srinagar and Kashmir Weather)