KARACHI: The ‘cold wave’ that has just hit the metropolis is not unusual during this part of the year and the temperature is likely to drop a bit further in coming days, meteorological department officials told Dawn on Friday.

According to them, the ‘chill factor’ created by slightly windy conditions is behind the perceived decrease in air temperature.

“This is not unusual in this season and temperature may further drop in coming days. Cold weather conditions are likely to continue till mid-February when temperature is expected to start rising. Foggy conditions are also common in winter,” said chief meteorologist of the city Abdul Rasheed.

It’s the wind from the sea, and not from Balochistan, that had created the chill factor, he added.  

Over the years, he pointed out, the onset of winter had been delayed throughout Pakistan, including Karachi. “Research has shown that not only days have become warmer but nights, too. The reasons for the weather change, scientists believe, lie in factors like change in climatic conditions and a rise in temperature globally,” he explained.

Information gathered from the met office at Karachi airport showed that there was no major variation in the maximum and minimum temperature over the past three days (till 7pm on Friday). The minimum temperature had remained between 13.4°C and 15.5°C whereas the maximum temperature was 25°C over the past two days. Humidity had remained around 60pc in the evening.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2017