KARACHI, Jan 7: While most parts of the country can expect to have to endure the current cold wave for some time yet, for Karachi the warmth of spring lies just round the corner as the Pakistan Meteorological Department expects the mercury to start a gentle rise within three to four days, bringing an end to one of the hardest and longest winters the city has ever known.

In a conversation with Dawn, Dr Qamaruzzan Chaudhry of the meteorological department confirmed what the shivering citizens of the city had already suspected: that the winter of 2007-2008 has been amongst the coldest ever recorded. And while the recent night-time temperatures did not break any records, the day-time levels were amongst the lowest ever recorded in the city.

According to Dr Chaudhry, the lowest day-time temperature ever to be experienced in the city was 17 degrees centigrade, some 50 years ago. While the day-time average for this time of the year should be around 26 to 27 degrees centigrade, the record of 17 degrees was matched this winter.

Meanwhile, the lowest night-time temperature ever recorded in Karachi was 3.3 degrees centigrade in the winter of 1950. The lowest recorded this year, however, was a relatively warmer 7 degrees centigrade.

However, such recordings of the mercury levels do not take into account the wind chill factor, which has been quite severe this year. According to Dr Chaudhry, the bitingly cold winds being experienced in Karachi and many other parts of the region are because of a high-pressure area over portions of Sindh and Balochistan. This high-pressure area is attracting freezing Siberian winds that arrive in the city after having blown over snowfields in Afghanistan and parts of Balochistan.

Although the current cold snap is expected to gradually start dissipating within a few days, citizens can anticipate cold winds for some time yet since the high-pressure area is expected to last for another five to six days.

The Met Office in Karachi forecasts cold, dry weather for today (Friday), with sunny skies but occasional winds. Anyone with a sunroom, therefore, may find themselves literally in the warm.