The coming heat wave! |
Rising temperature in Jammu and Kashmir, with mercury hovering above normal, is clear indicator of hot summer ahead! This is likely to trigger erratic weather patterns, hit hydrological regimes, increase glacier recession and subsequently affect agriculture, horticulture and hydropower generation.J&K’s summer capital Srinagar sizzled at 31.7 degrees Celsius, 7.6 notches above normal on May 9. The mercury touched the 30-degree mark for the first time this season before climbing past 31 degrees Celsius. Qazigund area in south Kashmir recorded 31 degrees Celsius, 7.8 degrees above normal. Famous tourist resort Pahalgam registered 25.2 degrees Celsius, 4.5 degrees above normal. World famous ski resort Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded 23 degrees Celsius— 8.3 degrees above normal. Jammu region too is witnessing above normal temperatures.
Experts have forecast that emerging El Niño event expected by mid-2026 is likely to influence Kashmir’s weather, bringing below-normal precipitation, higher temperatures. The World Meteorological Organisation has indicated that El Niño conditions may weaken the southwest monsoon across large parts of India and its effect will also be felt in J&K.
El Niño and La Niña are opposite phases of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, a large-scale ocean-atmosphere system that shapes global weather patterns. El Niño involves unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, while La Niña is marked by cooler conditions.
Warmer temperatures trigger........