LAHORE : Climate change continued to affect the weather patterns of the country as the month of September 2023 was 1.12°C warmer and ranked as the 4th warmest month in the past 63 years, with the record being 29.79 °C in 2019.
Similarly, the national rainfall for the month of September 2023 was close to the average (-7%). Data collected from the Met office revealed that the wettest day of the month in the country was Sept 19 when 122 mm rain was witnessed in Lahore, making it the wettest place with a monthly total rainfall of 307 mm.
The daytime (maximum) temperature at the country-level was 35.50°C, which is 0.98°C warmer than the country-wide average of 34.52°C and stands as the 5th warmest average daytime maximum temperature for the month in the past 63 years, with the record being 36.22°C in 2019 while the nighttime (minimum) temperature at country level was 22.68°C, which is 1.66°C warmer than the country-wide average of 21.02°C and ranked as the 4th warmest average nighttime minimum temperature for the month in the past 63 years, with the record being 23.30°C in 2019.
Met office data showed that in AJK, the average daytime temperature was 24.32°C, being +1.89°C above average. This was the second highest observed in the past 63 years, with the record being 24.43°C in 2019. The hottest day of the month was observed in Turbat (Balochistan) when it recorded a temperature of 45.5°C on Sept 21, 2023, while Sibbi (Balochistan) was the warmest place with a mean monthly maximum temperature of 40.8°C.
The data showed that the coldest temperature of the month, 2.5°C, was recorded in Kalam (KP) on September 30, 2023. Coincidentally, the same station was the coolest place with a mean monthly minimum temperature of 8.3°C.
Climatologically, the September rainfall contribution to the national annual total and monsoon was 7.2% and 15.2% respectively. During the month, Pakistan experienced 4/5 light to moderate rainfall spells.
September 2023 rainfall was near average, -7%, for Pakistan as a whole. On regional scale GB with 9.80 mm (+1%) and Punjab with 37.20 mm (+07%) observed near-average rainfall. Balochistan with 3.50 mm (-43%), AJK with 38.90 (-40%) & KP with 35.50mm (-23%) recorded below average rainfall. Sindh with 25.00 (+26%) was the only region having above average rainfall.
The wettest day of the month in the country was September 19 when Lahore recorded 122.0 mm of rainfall. Coincidentally, the same station was the wettest place with a monthly total rainfall of 307.0 mm.
The other significant rainfalls were recorded at Islamabad (Zero Point) 233.5 mm, Rawalpindi 179.3 mm, Lahore City 174.8 mm, Jhelum 130.0 mm, Narowal 121.9 mm, Attock 108.2 mm, Mangla 108.0 mm, Islamabad Airport 104.3 mm, Badin 102.2 mm, Murree 100.5 mm, Kakul 94.8 mm and Faisalabad Airport 93.0 mm.
The cities of Kot Addu, Layyah, Rahim Yar Khan, Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Larkana, Rohri, Sukkur, Mohenjo Daro, Khairpur, Dalbandin, Gwadar, Jiwani, Kalat, Nokkundi, Panjgur, Pasni, Quetta, Ormara and Zhob remained absolutely dry with no rain during the month while Khanpur, Multan City, Padidan, Tando Jam and Sibbi recorded only traces of rainfall during the month.
Sept 2023 was 1.12 °C warmer than average with national mean monthly temperature being 29.10°C against the average of 27.98 °C and stands 4th warmest mean temperature during past 63 years.
So was the situation in all regions; AJK with 24.32°C (+1.89°C) observed the 2nd highest monthly mean (the record being 24.43°C in 2019), KP with 27.02 °C (+1.21°C) observed the 5th highest mean (the record being 27.61°C in 1961), Punjab with 31.14°C (+1.13°C) observed the 4th highest mean (the record being 31.57°C in 1961), Sindh with 31.50 °C (+1.06°C) observed the 6th highest mean (the record being 32.39°C in 2021), Balochistan with 29.01°C (+1.10 °C) and GB with 22.38 (+0.85 °C) all exhibited warmer than average temperatures.
The mean monthly maximum (daytime) temperature (35.50 °C) recorded at country-level was also +0.98°C warmer than average of 34.52°C (Table-4, Fig. 3, upper panel) and stands 5th warmest average day maximum temperature in the month during past 63 years (the record is 36.22 in 2019).
Similarly, the country-level night (minimum) temperature of 22.68 °C was +1.66°C warmer than average of 21.02°C and stands as the 4th warmest average night minimum temperature in the month during past 63 years (the record is 23.30 in 2019). The mean temperature anomalies ranged from -1.5 to +4.1°C while the mean maximum temperature anomalies were from -0.8 to +3.7°C in the country, being considerably higher in AJK.
The hottest day of the month was recorded at Turbat (Balochistan) when it recorded a temperature of 45.5 °C on Sept 21. Sibbi, with a mean monthly maximum temperature of 40.8°C, was the warmest place during the month.
Kalam (KP) recorded the month’s coldest night temperature of 2.5°C on Sept 30, which also has been the coolest place with 8.3°C average minimum temperature.
Meanwhile for Saturday, the city recorded a dry day while Met office warned isolated heavy fall were expected in Kashmir, Pothohar region, Mansehra and Abbottabad while risk of land sliding in Dir, Swat, Chitral, Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir on Monday.
Met officials said continental air was prevailing over most parts of the country while a shallow westerly wave was present over northern areas of the country.
They predicted that dry weather was likely to prevail over most parts of the country while hot in southern areas. However, partly cloudy weather with rain-wind/thunderstorm was expected at isolated places in Gilgit Baltistan and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Saturday’s highest maximum temperature was recorded at Shaheed Benazirabad and Sibbi where mercury reached 42°C while in Lahore it was 35°C and minimum was 22.3°C.