Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir, Wednesday recorded the hottest day of the season as the mercury, for the first time, crossed the 40 degree Celsius mark this season, the Meteorological Department said.

The maximum temperature recorded in Jammu was 40.1 degrees Celsius -- 3.3 notches above the normal during this time of the season, a Met Department official said.

He said the minimum temperature in the city also continued its upward trend and settled at 25.5 degrees Celsius, which is 2.5 degrees above the normal.

The city had recorded the highest day temperature of 39.1 degrees Celsius on April 28 but a fresh spell of rains subsequently led to decrease in the mercury which stayed several degrees below the normal over the past week.

Katra town, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district, was the second hottest place in Jammu region with a high of 35.9 degrees Celsius and a low of 22.8 degrees Celsius.

Banihal and Batote townships along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway recorded a maximum and minimum of 26.3 degrees Celsius and 10.2 degrees Celsius and 28.9 degrees C and 12.8 degrees C, respectively.

The weatherman has forecast mainly clear sky with no drastic change in the temperature Thursday.

The official predicted thundershowers and lightening with gusty winds with a speed of 30 to 50 kms on May 10 and 11 at isolated places.

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