Mercury to rise in city from today: PMD

Chief meteorologist rules out possibility of heatwave

KARACHI:

The temperature in Karachi is expected to rise starting today (Saturday), according to a forecast made by the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD’s) early warning centre on Friday.

As per the forecast, the temperature could increase to 38 degrees Celsius today and 39 degrees Celsius tomorrow (Sunday).

However, this rise cannot be dubbed a heatwave, said chief meteorologist Sardar Sarfaraz. Explaining that increased temperatures are a usual occurrence in October, after the end of monsoon season, he said that the heat spell would persist for the coming few days.

According to the PMD, a low atmospheric pressure in the Bay of Bengal at present is likely to transform into a depression, possibly heading towards central India. However, if the depression moves towards the western part of India along the Arabian Sea, it may potentially cause winds to change direction in Karachi and push the mercury to rise further in the metropolis.

The PMD, however, has ruled out the possibility of any threat of a cyclone at Pakistan’s coast under the effect of the depression.

On Friday, the maximum temperature in the city was recorded at 35 degrees Celsius and the minimum at 25 degrees Celsius. The humidity level, which was 85 per cent in the morning, dropped to 59 per cent in the evening. Meanwhile, sea breezes continued to blow at 18 kilometres per hour.