PMD issues early warning as western system brings strong winds to Sindh

Karachi's minimum temperature forecast to remain between 9°C-11°C; rainfall not expected

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued an early warning as a series of easterly winds will begin affecting the country’s western regions from Sunday night.

According to the PMD’s forecast, a western weather system will impact the northern parts of the country tomorrow. Under its influence, districts including Sukkur, Qambar Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, and Dadu may experience heavy winds accompanied by thunderstorms and rain.

Elsewhere in Sindh, the weather is expected to remain cold and dry.

In Karachi, strong winds are likely to continue over the next two days, although rainfall is not expected due to the new western system. The city’s minimum temperature is forecast to remain between 9°C and 11°C on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The PMD has urged residents in affected areas to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions during the stormy conditions.

On Friday, icy Siberian winds swept across Karachi at maximum velocity of 44 kilometres per hour, driving temperatures down sharply.

Read: Karachi shivers as icy Siberian winds sweep city

Compared to the previous day, the minimum temperature fell by three degrees while the maximum temperature dropped by nearly six. At the official weather station in Pehlwan Goth, the lowest reading was 10.5 Celsius, while Bin Qasim recorded the chilliest figure at 7.4.

In northern Sindh, Mohenjo Daro endured an even harsher freeze with the mercury dipping to 0.5 degrees Celsius.

Meteorologists had warned that strong gusts could intensify over the weekend, with wind speed expected to climb as high as 55 kilometres per hour. The current cold wave, they noted, is being fueled by northwesterly winds blowing in from Quetta after a western disturbance brought light to moderate showers earlier in the week. This system has made the chill feel more severe than the last cold spell.

Read more: PMD warns of more rain and snowfall

PMD confirmed that the current cold spell has not broken any previous records. Karachi’s coldest ever weather was recorded as zero degrees Celsius in 1934, followed by 1.3 degrees Celsius in 1986, 6.5 in 2014, 5.6 in 2020, and between 6.2 and 8 degrees Celsius in January 2025.