Pahalgam hottest ever as heatwave sweeps Kashmir

Pahalgam, the picturesque tourist resort in Kashmir, recorded the highest-ever maximum temperature in April on Tuesday, as a heatwave swept the Valley, with all weather stations registering above normal day temperatures.

Srinagar -- the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir -- recorded the highest maximum temperature in April in the last about eight decades on Tuesday, officials said.

Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Tuesday recorded the maximum temperature of 27.8 degrees Celsius — 7.6 degrees above the normal for this time of the season, and the highest ever.

The previous highest was 27.4 degrees Celsius recorded on April 28, 1979, officials said.

Srinagar recorded the maximum temperature of 30.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, the second-highest in April ever, they said.

The all-time maximum in the city is 31.1 degrees Celsius, recorded on April 20, 1946, they said.

The day temperature in the city on Tuesday was 7.7 degrees above the season's normal.

Heatwave conditions continue to prevail across the Kashmir valley, as the day temperatures hover 5.5 to 8.4 degrees above the normal.

The Meteorological department has said the weather would likely remain dry and hot in J&K over the next 24 hours. There is a possibility of rain at isolated places on Thursday.