In Pictures: Kashmiri kids beat the summer heat

Srinagar, June 26: In Kashmir, the 21-day harsh summer period, commonly known as ‘Wahrat’ commenced on Saturday. A heatwave is officially declared when maximum temperatures surpass the long-term average by 5 to 7°C for three consecutive days.

By that definition, much of the third week of June met the criteria, marking the 2025 Kashmir heatwave as one of the earliest and most prolonged summer spells on record.

In Kashmir, the summer of 2025 has already broken records. Srinagar witnessed its hottest June day in over a decade with 35.6°C, while Anantnag, Kupwara, and Baramulla have all reported sustained high temperatures combined with high humidity.

As per reports, each passing month in Kashmir this year has been marked by extreme weather events that would have seemed unimaginable just decades ago. A stark example came on April 15, 2025, when Srinagar recorded a temperature of 30.4°C — the hottest April day in nearly 80 years.

This trend persisted through May and into June, as meteorological stations across the Valley consistently reported temperatures 5 to 7°C above the seasonal average.