Karachi hit by rain and strong winds amid sudden weather change

Light rain and drizzle were reported in several parts of Karachi on Thursday as rain bands moved closer to the city, particularly from the northwestern side, weather observers said.

Drizzle and light showers were recorded in areas including Garden East, Saddar’s Show Market, Ramswami, Al-Bila and Lyari, while moderate to heavy rain was reported in parts of North Karachi and Surjani Town.

Residents of Saima Arabian Villas in Surjani reported heavy rainfall.

Rain was also reported at the Soak Centre, while North Karachi’s UP Mor, Nagan and surrounding areas experienced intermittent light to moderate showers. Strong winds were reported in North Karachi, blowing at higher-than-usual speeds.

Gusty winds across the city had turned into colder winds, while dusty winds were reported in some suburban areas.

The PMD had earlier forecast light to moderate rain with thunder and gusty winds between the afternoon and evening. Officials said the effects of a new western weather system had begun to emerge over the city, with wind speeds gradually increasing and currently recorded at around 40 kilometres per hour.

Wind speeds during the day may exceed 50 to 55 kilometres per hour, they added.

Read: Karachi, parts of Sindh to receive rain and thunderstorms from Jan 22

The weather department further said that rain is expected across Sindh over the next three hours as the rain-bearing system moves towards the western parts of the province. Rain is forecast in Dadu, Qambar Shahdadkot, Larkana, Jamshoro, Hyderabad and surrounding areas.

Cold conditions are expected to persist in Karachi for the next few days. Due to cold winds from Balochistan, the minimum temperature in the city on Friday is likely to range between 7 and 9 degrees Celsius.

The PMD said the weather is expected to remain cold and dry over the next 24 hours. Light fog was reported in the morning, reducing visibility to two kilometres, while humidity was recorded at 84 per cent. The minimum temperature on Thursday was recorded at 13.5 degrees Celsius.

On Wednesday, the maximum temperature reached 27.1 degrees Celsius, while today’s maximum temperature is expected to remain between 21 and 23 degrees Celsius.