Jammu breaks 76-year record as day temperature hits 37.3 deg C

The maximum temperature in Jammu on Sunday settled at 37.3 degrees Celsius, breaking a 76-year-old record for the month of March.

The previous highest day temperature of 37.2 degrees Celsius was recorded on March 31, 1945, Director Meteorological Department Sonum Lotus said.

He said since the last four days, the weather has remained mainly fair and clear in Jammu and Kashmir due to absence of any low pressure system or localised weather system.

"Dry and hot weather is likely to prevail for the next few days as well," Lotus said.

According to the meteorological department, the maximum temperature in Jammu, the winter capital of the Union Territory, is 8.4 degrees above normal during this part of the season.

However, the night temperature was near normal at 16.9 degrees Celsius, a spokesperson of the department said.

Summer capital Srinagar is also witnessing hotter days than usual with day temperature settling at 25 degrees Celsius, 7.4 notches above normal, he said, adding that the night temperature in Srinagar was 7.2 degrees Celsius which was also 1.1 degrees above normal.

Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, recorded a high of 32.3 degrees Celsius and a low of 16.7 degrees Celsius, the spokesperson said.