ISLAMABAD: While global warming and other factors are closing the gap between minimum and maximum temperatures around the world, the climate of the federal capital seems to be bucking that trend.

Apropos an article, ‘Climate change robbing capital of chilly winter nights,’ published in Dawn on Feb 14, which claimed that nighttime winter temperatures were increasing in Islamabad — it has emerged that while winter daytime temperatures are rising, nighttime temperatures are falling as well.

This trend is in contrast to the global phenomenon and an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment.

Talking to Dawn, climate scientist Dr Mariam Saleh Khan cited IPCC research indicating that, globally, the diurnal temperature range, the gap between maximum and minimum temperatures, was decreasing.

However, she noted that Islamabad was showing contradictory behaviour, as its diurnal difference was actually increasing. She explained that while this trend could be attributed to various factors, including climate change, more in-depth research was required to ascertain the actual reasons behind this localised phenomenon.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2026