J-K records most dry and warm January in 43 years

SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir encountered an unprecedentedly dry and warm January, marking the driest and warmest month in 43 years, as revealed by data from the Meteorological Centre Srinagar.

In Srinagar city, a mere 3.0 mm of precipitation was recorded, rendering it the second driest January in four decades, a stark contrast to the lowest measurement of 1.2 mm in January 2018.

The mean maximum temperature in Srinagar stood at 11.9 degrees Celsius, while figures for Gulmarg and Banihal were recorded at 5.7 degrees Celsius and 16.9 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Jammu City, too, bore witness to historically low mean maximum temperatures, an occurrence unseen in over 40 years.

The Meteorological Department characterized January 2024 as exceptionally dry and warm, with Jammu station registering a mean maximum temperature of 13.4 degrees Celsius, a low not seen since 1983.

Meanwhile, mean minimum temperatures for January were documented at -3.2 degrees Celsius, 5.5 degrees Celsius, -3.9 degrees Celsius, and 0.1 degrees Celsius for Srinagar, Jammu, Gulmarg, and Banihal, respectively.

Of particular note, Gulmarg experienced one of its warmest mean minimum temperatures in 43 years, according to the provided data.