Amidst the persistent dry spell, most parts of Kashmir on Monday recorded heat wave with Srinagar being hotter than Jammu.
A MeT official said the maximum temperature in Srinagar today settled at 35.6 degree Celsius, which was above 5.7 degree Celsius than normal temperatures.
Srinagar was hotter than Jammu, where the maximum temperature settled at 35.5 degree Celsius.
The MeT official said Qazigund in south Kashmir recorded a maximum temperature of 34.0 degree Celsius while Pahalgam, Kupwara and Kokernag recorded the day temperature of 30.2 degree Celsius, 35.6 degree Celsius and 33.5 degree Celsius respectively.
In Banihal, the mercury settled at 31.4 degree Celsius.
In Batote, Katra and Bhaderwah, the mercury settled at 28.8 degree Celsius, 32.2 degree Celsius and 32.6 degree Celsius respectively.
The Met official has predicted a heat wave across Jammu and Kashmir till July 26.
He said partly to generally cloudy weather with intermittent spells of light to moderate rains are expected from July 27 and July 28.
“There is a possibility of a spell of rain and thundershower is expected at isolated to scattered places from July 29 to July 31,” he said.
In its advisory, the MeT has stated that intense showers for a brief period with possibility of landslides, mudslides and shooting stones over few vulnerable places of Jammu is expected while hot and humid weather will prevail till July 26.
Due to persistent dry spell, the water level in river Jhelum has reduced by 30 per cent.
“Almost 10 per cent of the lift irrigation schemes have become non-functional due to the prevailing situation. There was no need to panic as the situation can be controlled even if the situation deteriorates further,” the Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) division, Braham Jyoti Sharma said.
He said the situation is not alarming at present and the regular meetings are being conducted to take stock of the prevailing situation.