KARACHI: Weather conditions remained oppressive in most parts of the province on the third consecutive day with Jacobabad reporting the highest temperature of 47 degrees Celsius, forcing people to keep indoors amid power outages.

In Dadu, the district which has been seeing consistently sweltering weather for the past two days with mercury rising to 46°C on Friday and 47°C the previous day, there were several cases of heat-related emergencies and people were rushed to hospitals.

Responding to the situation, the district administration, sources said, had established heat stroke centres at the Civil Hospital Dadu and taluka hospitals in Khairpur Nathan Shah and Mehar.

In other parts of the affected districts, bazaars wore a deserted look and transport remained thin. Citizens’ misery, however, was compounded on account of prolonged loadshedding.

Karachi experiences its hottest night since 2010

The Met department recorded 46°C in Dadu and Larkana, 45°C in Moenjo Daro, Rohri and Peditan, 44.5°C in Sakrand, 43.2°C in Hyderabad. 43.5°C in Mithi and Chore, 42.5°C in Sukkur, 38.5°C in Thatta and Mirpurkhas, 39°C in Badin and 37.5°C in Karachi.

According to Met officials, the week-long heatwave, which started from April 27, will gradually subside by May 2 and be replaced by a westerly wave, which is likely to induce dust storms in lower Sindh.

So far, the highest temperature recorded in ongoing heat spell is 47.5°C, which Shaheed Benazirabad reported on April 27 followed by Dadu the next day.

“This ongoing heatwave apparently induced by changing climatic conditions is unusual at this time of the year but the upcoming westerly wave is part of the normal weather pattern,” said chief meteorologist Dr Sardar Sarfaraz.

He added that the month of March was the warmest and driest in several parts of the country since 1961.

The prevailing hot weather conditions being experienced in most parts of the country, he pointed out, were induced by a high pressure area prevailing over the southern region.

Karachi’s warmest night

While coastal areas of the province with hot and humid weather have remained least affected by the heatwave, Karachi experienced its warmest night of the month on April 28.

“The highest minimum temperature was 28.5°C. Earlier, it was 28°C recorded in 2010,” said Dr Sarfaraz.

The night temperature, he said, was recorded before sunrise and reported at 8am.

The upcoming westerly wave, according to the Met department, is likely to enter western part of the country from May 1 and to persist till May 5.

Under the influence of this weather system, rain-wind/thunderstorm is expected in several parts of the country.

“Dust-storm is also expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas, Thatta and Badin from May 11 till May 20. It may cause damage to vulnerable structures in Balochistan, Sindh. Day temperatures are likely to fall 04-06°C during the forecast period,” the advisory said.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2022