Mercury hits 40°C as mild heatwave grips Karachi

The mercury rose to 40 degrees Celsius in Karachi on Saturday under the influence of a low-pressure area in the north-east Arabian Sea, depriving the metropolis of sea breeze, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) officials said, adding that the city would be in the grip of a mild heatwave until Tuesday.

“Karachi is in the grip of a light heatwave due to a low pressure area formed in the north-east Arabian Sea and the adjoining areas. It has cut off sea breeze towards the city, increasing the daytime temperature to 40°C on Saturday,” PMD Chief Meteorological Officer Sardar Sarfraz told The News.

PMD officials said that the moderate heatwave-like conditions are likely to continue in Karachi and the southern parts of Sindh for the next three days, with the maximum temperatures likely to remain between 38°C and 40ºC during the next three days. Surface winds are likely to blow from the north and north-west, they added.

They said that the weather in Karachi was likely to improve from Wednesday, adding that they were expecting cloudy weather with chances of drizzle on Thursday or Friday under the influence of another low-pressure area formed in the Bay of Bengal.

Fortunately, the “feels like” temperature remained low due to lesser humidity during the daytime, the officials said, adding that there was nothing alarming in the prevailing weather conditions, as the mercury normally remained in the same ranges in the city during the month of October.