Mercury soars to 39.5°C as PMD warns of ‘partial’ heatwave in Karachi

Met office says conditions are not likely to escalate into a full heatwave

KARACHI:

Karachi experienced scorching temperatures on Monday, as the mercury soared to 39.5 degrees Celsius, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). Forecasts indicated that the heat may intensify, with temperatures expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.

The PMD has issued warnings of a partial heatwave, attributing the rising temperatures to the absence of the usual cooling sea breeze from the Arabian Sea. Instead, hot and dry winds from Balochistan have prevailed, keeping humidity levels low.

Despite the heat, there is some relief in sight. The PMD has reassured residents that the conditions are not likely to escalate into a full heatwave.

Read more: Karachi experiences hottest day of the year on Sunday

A full heatwave is defined as persisting temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius for more than four days, coupled with humidity levels surpassing 65 per cent.

However, Karachiites should brace themselves for continued hot and dry weather in the coming days. The PMD anticipated that the next three days would see a continuation of the current conditions, with the absence of the cooling sea breeze exacerbating the situation. Instead, hot winds from the northwest are expected to influence the city's weather patterns.

Elsewhere in Sindh, temperatures remained high, with Shaheed Benazirabad recording the highest temperature in the region at 41 degrees Celsius on Monday.