Srinagar, April 05: On the same day when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) delivered a dire assessment and warning in its latest report released on Monday, Kashmir's independent weatherman released a report, which reveals that Srinagar has recorded the warmest March in the past 131 years.
Notably, the data compiled & shared by Faizan Arif, an independent weather forecaster operating Kashmir Weather, has revealed that the erstwhile state of J&K has witnessed record-breaking temperatures across the valley this March as many stations surpassed their all-time records of highest maximum temperature.
As per the data available, Srinagar recorded a mean maximum of 20.7°C, which was the warmest since 2004, while the mean minimum temperature stood at 6.7°C, which was the highest ever in 131 years. The overall figure, the data noted, for March was 13.7°C in 2022, and 13.65°C in 2004, thus surpassing the previous record set in 2004.
March 2022 was the warmest in Srinagar since at least 1892. Srinagar recorded a mean maximum of 20.7°C, which was the warmest since 2004. While the mean minimum temperature stood at 6.7°C, which was the highest ever in 131 years.
The data further notes that the overall figure for March was 13.7°C in 2022, and 13.65°C in 2004, thus surpassing the previous record set in 2004. Pertinently, as per the India Meteorological Data, Qazigund recorded a mean temperature of 12.6°C, the warmest since at least 1974. The mean maximum in 2004 was 20.6°C, in 2022 it was 20.4°C. A mean minimum of 6.5°C was recorded in 1975, while 4.8°C was recorded in 2010, 2021 and 2022.
The data has further revealed that Kupwara saw the warmest temperatures this March at 13.4 C since the official record-keeping began in 1978. Pahalgam recorded a mean temperature of 9.4°C in 2022 March, the data noted, while the highest ever record was 9.7°C set in 2004. Similarly, Kokernag had recorded its warmest March in the year 2004 at 12.6°C. While it was 12.3°C in March 2022.
Notably, the data has also revealed that Gulmarg in 2004 recorded a mean temperature of 6.7°C, while in 2022 it was 5.5°C. Jammu recorded its second warmest temperature since 1982. In 2004 the mean temperature stood at 24.4°C, while in 2022 it was 23.3°C.
For Bhaderwah, the data revealed, it was the warmest March since 1985 at least, recorded with a mean temperature of 16.0°C. The mean maximum for the month stood at 24.6°C, lagging behind the 24.9°C figure set in 2004. However, at 7.4°C, the mean minimum temperature was the highest since 1985.
Just like Jammu City, Batote witnessed its 2nd warmest March. The mean temperature figure was 16.4°C in 2022, while it was 16.7°C in 2004. This March, Banihal tied its highest ever mean temperature record with March 2004. The mean temperature was 15.4°C in both Marches. Katra saw the highest temperatures since 2004. In 2004, the mean temperature was 22.6°C, while in 2022 it was 22.0°C.
Talking to Kashmir Observer, Dr. Mohammad Muslim, assistant professor at the Department of Environmental Science, Kashmir University (KU) says that the repercussions of Climate Change on Kashmir's weather is quite visible this year.
“Just look at J&K….Srinagar is witnessing a seasonal variation. Winters had somehow become spring-like weather. Early spring felt more like summer this year. And if this latest report's data is to be believed then it's a serious threat for our environment. This means if March was the hottest in the last 100 plus years, then our glaciers may have already started to melt, which bores a massive threat to existence, especially agriculture.”
He further added, “Our local environment also modulates climate. There's a temperature variation in Gulmarg and Sonmarg but when we talk about figures, climate change has changed Kashmir's weather brutally. The temperature is gradually increasing above normal. It's dangerous, far more vicious than what we think.”
