Weather to Remain Critical Across J&K Today, Improve From Tomorrow: Sonam Lotus

SRINAGAR, July 22: Renowned meteorologist Sonam Lotus on Wednesday said the weather situation across Jammu and Kashmir will remain critical throughout the day, urging people to remain vigilant and strictly follow official advisories amid the ongoing spell of heavy rainfall. He, however, expressed hope that weather conditions are likely to improve from Thursday. Lotus said the current wet spell has brought exceptionally heavy rainfall to many parts of the Union Territory, although Srinagar and several areas of South Kashmir have received comparatively less rainfall than other regions. “Today is still a crucial day. People should remain careful and follow all official guidelines. We expect the weather to improve from tomorrow,” he said. Explaining the prevailing weather pattern, Lotus said the ongoing spell is the result of an active monsoon system interacting with moisture from the Arabian Sea, leading to widespread and intense rainfall across Jammu and Kashmir. He noted that cloudbursts and flash floods are not uncommon in the Himalayan region and are also witnessed in neighbouring Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh during periods of intense rainfall. The meteorologist said continuous rainfall has saturated the soil, significantly reducing its ability to absorb additional water, which has increased the risk of flash floods and landslides in vulnerable areas. “The land is already saturated and cannot withstand further heavy rainfall, making flash floods more likely,” he said. Lotus appealed to residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel to vulnerable locations and continue following advisories issued by the administration until weather conditions improve.