*Windstorm may hit some Jammu areas on weekend
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, June 7: The winter capital Jammu of J&K UT today recorded season’s highest temperature of 43.6 degree Celsius while there seems to be no immediate relief from the scorching heat in the region in coming week.
While the increasing intensity of Ultra Violet (UV) rays has posed serious threat of Sun stroke to the people moving in the open, the medicos and the scientists have advised people not to venture outside in the blazing Sun between 11 am and 3 pm, if it is not urgent or cover head with some cloth or a cap/ hat as precautionary measure against the possible heat stroke.
Official sources said that Chatha observatory of the SKUAST-Jammu today recorded the maximum temperature of 43.6 degree Celsius, which is highest so far during this season. The holy township of Katra Mata Vaishnodevi registered a maximum temperature of 40.6 degree Celsius today. On June 6, the same observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 43.4 degree C in Jammu while it was 43.2 degree C on June 5. The continuous rise in temperature in the region for the last about one week has also increased the intensity of Ultra Violet rays in the atmosphere exposing people to the risk of heat/Sun stroke.
Dr Mahinder Kumar, senior Scientist, SKUAST- Jammu told the Excelsior that on June 7, Jammu has recorded the highest temperature (43.6 deg C) of the season so far. He said there seems to be no respite from the scorching heat in the region in coming at least one week. On Friday and Saturday, there may be windstorm of low intensity in some areas of Jammu region and partially cloudy weather, but it may not provide adequate relief from the heat wave to the people.
The SKUAST Scientist further said that to protect themselves from the risk of heat stroke due to increasing intensity of UV rays these days, the people and especially children and elderly persons must avoid to move out in the open Sun between 11 am and 3 pm. He said the farmers or labour class people must cover their heads with cloth or cap while working in their fields or in the open Sun and consume more fluid/water during these days.
Issuing advisory for the farmers, Dr Mahinder said that farmers must sprinkle water to irrigate new fruit and vegetable plants to save them from scorching hot weather conditions. He said Citrus fruits get cracked due to intense hot and dry weather and needs special attention, specially sprinkling of water during morning /late evening hours. Even the vegetables plants need regular irrigation/ water sprinkling for protecting them from this hot weather, the Scientist maintained.
Meanwhile, a Meteorological Department official said that weather remained mainly clear in Jammu and Kashmir during the last 24 hours. He said even during next 24 hours, the weather may remain same with likelihood of sky turning partly cloudy in the evening. In Jammu region, the weather may remain mostly dry up to June 13 while in Kashmir region there may be light rain at some isolated places up to June 11. But there will be no large change in the weather during next one week across J&K, the spokesman added.
“Mainly clear sky is likely in J&K during the next 24 hours with possibility of turning partly cloudy towards the afternoon”, an official of the MeT department said.
He said Jammu had 27.6, Katra 25.3, Batote 18.8, Banihal and Bhaderwah 15 degrees each as the minimum temperature today.
Srinagar recorded 15.5, Pahalgam 7.8 and Gulmarg 9.6 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature. Drass in Ladakh registered 5.5, Leh 10.8 and Kargil 10.4 degrees as the night’s lowest temperature.
The maximum temperature in Srinagar was 31.4 degree C, at Pahalgam 25. 9 degrees while at Gulmarg it was recorded as 21.4 degree Celsius today.
Due to intense hot weather conditions heavy rush of local tourists has been witnessed at Patnitop, Sanasar, Bhaderwah, Jayee, Dudu, Latti and Bani-Sarthal areas of Jammu region. Due to targeted killings, some decline in the tourists flow has been witnessed in Kashmir for the last some days.
In famous Ranbir Canal and its distributaries in Jammu, heavy rush of children, men and women has been witnessed during evening hours these days. To beat the heat, people prefer to spend evenings at the canal site while children spend hours while bathing in the icy cold water of river Chenab flowing in these Jammu canals.
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