By: Dr. Masoon A. Beig

The Kashmir Valley, which has historically experienced mild summers and snowy winters, is presently seeing an unexpected shift in its climate, with heat waves returning and getting stronger. With meteorological data indicating a worrying rise in the greatest temperatures from important locations in the area, such as Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Qazigund and Kokernag, this has been increasingly noticeable since 2020.

Breaking all time record Temperature in valley hit new heights on 22 May, setting new records and taking the region to its limits of heat. Srinagar saw a sizzling 34.4°C, a new high, while Qazigund recorded 33.4°C, Kokernag 33.2°C, and even the cooler Pahalgam reaching 27.8°C. These were record highs for some of these places during the month of May. The scorching temperature forced individuals to stay indoors, particularly in cities where concrete infrastructure made the heat more unbearable by trapping it. Outdoor events were significantly curtailed as the suffocating conditions lasted. In turn, the administration made official announcements of heat wave warnings and public health alerts, calling on citizens to drink plenty of fluids, stay away from direct sunlight, and keep a special eye on vulnerable populations like children and the elderly. In the interest of health and students’ safety, the Directorate of School Education changed school hours for both government and private schools. The classes would start earlier in the morning to escape the hottest part of the day. Hospitals are gearing up to handle patient flow with cases of increase in dehydration, heat stress, and sunstroke, especially among children and elderly.

This is not the first time but the frequency of heatwaves have been observed in valley from past few years when in August........

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