Cold wave likely to persist till Monday in Karachi as rain system departs

KARACHI: Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfaraz on Saturday said Karachi was likely to continue to experience cold and dry weather until Monday (March 4), after a short spell of “unusual” rain that washed the metropolis.

Karachi witnessed heavy rainfall coupled with thunderstorms on Friday after which a cold wave hit the city, turning the weather chilly. 

Korangi Industrial Area, II Chundrigar Road, Orangi Town, Baldia Town, Sarjani Town, Malir, North Karachi, Saddar, Manghopir, Northern Bypass, and Sohrab Goth Town were some of the city's areas that received heavy rain on Friday.

According to Sarfaraz, the temperature in Karachi has dropped by 4°C. He said that on Saturday, the city's lowest temperature was recorded at 14.5°C.

“The city is likely to record a maximum temperature of 22°C today,” he said, adding that the current cold wave was unusual as chilly weather did not usually last continuously in March. 

He said the rains at that time of the year were also unusual.

The chief meteorologist said the lowest temperature recorded in the megalopolis was on March 7, 8 and 9 in 1979 — 7°C.

Rain system departed

Meanwhile, weather expert Jawad Memon said there was no chance of rain in Karachi as the westerly waves had departed. He said the sky would remain clear and dry with cold nights.

He said the wave of unseasonal cold in Karachi would be short-lived as the winds from Quetta would continue to blow for few days and might touch the speed of 30 to 40 kilometres an hour.

Memon said the private weather station of Clifton had recorded up to 50.4 millimetre rain, which has inundated much of the adjacent areas specially DHA Khyaban-e-Shehbaz, where rainwater has entered houses.