Meteorological dept allays heatwave fears

KARACHI:

The on-going hot spell in the city is likely to end today on Monday, officials of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said on Sunday.

Temperature is likely to drop due to resumption of sea breeze, which keeps the city's temperatures moderate. "However, a moderate heatwave is expected in the city from April 11 onwards," PMD Karachi Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfraz.

According to the PMD Early Warning Center (EWC), the temperature is expected to be between 35 and 37 degrees on Monday and between 34 and 36 degrees on Tuesday, Sarfraz said.

With the horrid memories 2015 killer heatwave in Ramazan still fresh, residents of the port city were exasperated by the start of the fasting month with a hot day.

Weather remained hot at 39.5 degrees Celsius, though much lower than 42.5 degrees recorded on March 30. Hot and dry northwesterly winds were affecting the city for the past several days, causing an increase in heat index.

According to the PMD, the maximum temperature was recorded at 39.5 degrees on Sunday, with a humidity of 28 per cent in the air. It should be noted that the short heat wave in the city started from March 29, on March 30, the city's mercury recorded a very high 42.5 degrees, which broke the last 12-year record of heat.