SRINAGAR: Srinagar city recorded the highest ever daytime temperature for the month of February on Saturday, as most parts of Kashmir experienced a heatwave, officials said here.
A few weather stations in the valley registered record-breaking maximum temperatures for February. The daytime temperatures were 9.5 to 10 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average, they added.
Officials stated that Srinagar reached a maximum temperature of 21 degrees Celsius, which is 10 degrees above the normal for this time of year. This temperature is an all-time high for February, surpassing the previous record of 20.6 degrees Celsius set on February 24, 2016.
The famous ski resort of Gulmarg, located in the Baramulla district of north Kashmir, also recorded its highest-ever February daytime temperature at 11.5 degrees Celsius, which is 9.5 degrees above the seasonal average. The previous high was 11.4 degrees Celsius, recorded on February 11, 1993, officials said.
In south Kashmir, Kokernag recorded the second-highest February temperature of 18.3 degrees Celsius. The all-time high for this location is 18.4 degrees Celsius, which was recorded on February 29, 2016.
The Meteorological Department has said that the maximum temperatures are expected to rise further by 1-2 degrees in many areas over the next six days. (PTI)