• 16 districts of Sindh cross 40°C benchmark
• Dust storm likely in Karachi tomorrow

KARACHI: Several districts in the province saw a further spike in temperatures, including Karachi, which had its warmest night in the month of April in 62 years, with the minimum temperature recorded at 29.4°C with 60 per cent relative humidity, meteorological department officials stated on Saturday.

The highest maximum temperature in the province, however, was recorded in Jacobabad (49°C).

Sixteen districts of the province had temperature higher than 40 degrees Celsius.

The department recorded 40°C in Thatta, 42°C in Badin, 45.7°C in Hyderabad, 39°C in Tandojam, 47°C in Dadu, 42.5°C in Mirpurkhas, 45.7°C in Chhor, 45.5°C in Sukkur and Mithi, 47°C in Shaheed Benazirabad and Rohri, 47.4°C in Khairpur, 46°C in Padidan, 46°C in Sakrand, 48°C in Larkana and Mohenjo-Daro.

The maximum temperature in Karachi rose from 37.5°C on Friday to 40.6°C on Saturday.

The record highest temperature of the month of April of Karachi is 44.4°C, which was reported on April 16, 1947.

“The previous night, we had recorded 28.5 degrees Celsius as the minimum highest temperature in Karachi since 2010,” said chief meteorologist Dr Sardar Sarfaraz, adding that similar weather conditions would prevail in the province on Sunday.

According to him, the week-long heat that started from April 27 is likely to subside by May 2 when a westerly wave entering the country from Balochistan is expected to push the high pressure system away to the eastern side.

“It seems that the intense weather condition is reaching its peak before being pushed away by another system.

“Under the influence of the westerly wave, dust-thunderstorm /rain is expected in Sukkur, Larkana, Dadu, Jacobabad, Shikarpur and Qambar Shahdadkot from May 2 to May 4. Dust storm may also occur in Karachi, Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts on May 2.”

According to a met department advisory, daytime maximum temperatures over the next two days may rise to 46-48°C in Dadu, Shaheed Benazirabad, Jacobabad, Larkana and Sukkur districts.

“While, Badin, Tharparkar, Umerkot and Hyderabad districts may experience maximum temperatures ranging between 42°C and 44°C.

“People are advised to take care during peak heatwave hours. Karachi weather likely to remain hot and dry with maximum temperature ranging between 38°C and 40°C,” says a met department advisory.

It might be recalled that the month of March had been recorded as the warmest and driest month in several districts of the country since 1961. Weather experts are linking these extreme weather events now occurring more frequently to climate change.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2022