Mercury may drop tomorrow in Sindh

Karachi residents endure 41.5°C temperature

Photo Athar Khan/our Correspondent October 12, 2017

A rickshaw driver drinks chilled sherbet, made from plum and tamarind, to keep himself cool during the hot day. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN

KARACHI: The sweltering dry weather, which the coastal belt of Pakistan, especially Sindh, is currently experiencing, is expected to start losing intensity from tomorrow (Friday) evening.

This was stated by Pakistan Meteorological Department Spokesperson Dr Abdul Rashid while talking to The Express Tribune.

According to Dr Rashid, today (Thursday), the mercury is expected to exceed 40° Celsius in Karachi. Residents have recently been experiencing hot weather due to the decrease in breeze. On Wednesday, the highest temperature recorded in Karachi was 41.5°C, while a day before, it was 41.8°C.

The Met office spokesperson predicted that tomorrow (Friday), the temperature would drop below 39°C and in the following days would gradually settle down to 34 to 35°C, which is the normal temperature of Karachi in the month of October.

Karachi receives rain instead of heatwave

The minimum humidity recorded on Wednesday in Karachi was 12% in the evening hours, whereas the highest was recorded at 43.5% in the morning.

Dr Rashid explained that the extremely hot weather in the region was due to low pressure developed below Mumbai in the Indian Ocean near the Western Ghats, which has changed the wind pattern by halting the sea breeze. The dry and hot continental north-western and north-eastern winds are causing the temperature of Karachi and its adjoining coastal belt to rise, he added.

Hot weather in October in Karachi is not a new phenomenon, Dr Rashid said, adding that 35.7°C is the average temperature of Karachi in the month according to data of the past 30 years.