Cold wave: Mercury drops to single digit in Karachi
Men sit around a fire on a cold night on a street in Karachi. Photo: Jalal Qureshi/express
As the cool weather intensifies, Karachi has experienced a drop in temperature, with the mercury dipping to single digits at Jinnah Terminal last night, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
The lowest recorded temperature was 9.1°C, marking a notable decline in the city’s usual mild December weather.
During the past 24 hours, Karachi’s overall night-time temperature reached a low of 11.3°C. Area-wise data shows a more pronounced drop, with temperatures hitting 10°C in Gulistan-e-Johar, 12°C on Sharea Faisal, 12.5°C in Mauripur, and 12.2°C in Bin Qasim.
The PMD noted that Karachi’s average temperature in December generally hovers around 13.4°C, meaning this cold spell is unusual for the port city. Over the next 24 hours, Karachi is expected to remain cool and dry at night, with minimum temperatures potentially falling as low as 10°C.
Current conditions include 48% humidity and northeast winds blowing at a speed of 10km/h.
Meanwhile, in Quetta and the surrounding regions, a severe cold wave has gripped the area. Today, Quetta recorded a bone-chilling minimum temperature of -4°C, while Kalat saw even colder readings at -6°C.
The weather in Quetta and many districts across Balochistan is expected to remain clear but extremely cold, particularly in the mountainous regions.
Residents of Quetta and nearby areas are facing additional hardships due to low gas pressure, exacerbating the difficulties of coping with the freezing conditions.