ISLAMABAD: The Met Office has denied social media rumours that temperatures in Rawalpindi fell to -3ºC, saying that the temperature has been hovering around -1ºC.

“The last week of December is very cold, and the temperature of -1ºC is also above average for this month, but there is no evidence that the temperature gauge fell to -3ºC,” a Met Office official said.

In response to the widespread rumours, officials also held a brief meeting in the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) to discuss the matter and experts noted that the rumour was incorrect.

“PMD has an observatory in Chaklala, and the lowest temperature recorded there was -1ºC,” the official said, adding that according to international standards temperature measuring equipment has to be around 1.5 metres above the ground and direct wind should not have any impact on the measuring gauge.

“A mercury level of -1ºC in Rawalpindi and Islamabad during December is normal but -2ºC or -3ºC is not normal,” the official added.

The official said the claims circulating on social media must have been based on measurements made by individuals with any mercury or alcohol-based thermometer.

“The temperature close to the ground is lower and that is the reason frost is visible on the ground in the earning morning hours, and similarly a sheet of frost is also present over vehicles’ windscreens,” the official explained.

“Grass and leaves have water content that freezes, similarly metal and glass gets cold and adds to the declining mercury,” the official said.

Severe frost conditions observed this winter have also been due to the lack of rainfall in the second half of the month.

Average December rainfall in Islamabad is over 40 millimetres, while this year the capital received a little over 30mm.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2018