Temperatures rise, footfall of tourists also increases in Kashmir

By: Javaid Malik MK

Srinagar

Night temperatures have been above normal in Jammu and Kashmir and the pleasant atmosphere has only added to the arrival of the tourists to Kashmir valley.

On March 28 Director Srinagar Airport said that 90 flights were received and they were able to send 15000 tourists to different destinations from the airport.

If such figures remain steady there is likelihood that all the previous records of tourist arrivals would be broken in Kashmir. In the recent past there is a record of 13 lac tourists visiting Kashmir and if everything remains honky dory, this record would be broken during the current year.

A meteorological department official told GNS that Srinagar, the summer capital of J & K, recorded a low of 8.8°C, same as last night. The temperature was 2.7°C above normal for Srinagar during this time of the year.

Qazigund recorded a low of 5.2°C against 6.0°C on the previous night. The temperature was above normal by 1.1°C for the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of 7.7°C against 8.2°C the previous night. It was 3.0°C more than normal during this time of the season, the official said.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of 2.8°C against 2.3°C last night. The temperature was 1.2°C above normal for the place, he said.

Gulmarg recorded a low of 3.0°C against 3.6°C on the previous night, the official said. While minus 0.8°C is normal for the world famous skiing resort during this time of the season, the official said that the temperature was 3.8°C above normal for the place in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of 5.7°C, same as on the previous night. The temperature was 1.2°C above normal, the official told Global News Service.

Jammu recorded a low of 19.0°C against 18.0°C on the previous night, the official said. The temperature was 2.4°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.

Banihal recorded a low of 8.0°C, Batote 12.0°C and Bhaderwah 9.6°C, the official said.

Ladakh’s Leh recorded a minimum of 2.4°C against 2.2°C previous night while the automatic station at Kargil recorded a minimum of minus 0.0°C.

The MeT official said that no significant weather was expected for now.

With GNS inputs