Chilly winds make Karachiites shiver even during the day

People in Karachi experienced cold weather during the day on Wednesday after a long time after the mercury remained below 20 degrees Celsius most of the time in the city under the influence of north–eastern winds, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) officials said, adding that due to strong, chilly winds, the feel-like temperature was at least a couple of degrees lower than the actual temperature.

“Winds blowing at the speed of 32-35 kilometres per hour from the north–east direction turned Karachi’s weather cold on Wednesday when the maximum temperature was recorded at 20.4 degrees Celsius, the but feel-like temperature was even lower as compared to the actual temperature,” said Sardar Sarfraz, chief meteorological officer (CMO) of Sindh, while talking to The News.

The Karachiites experienced another cold night between Tuesday and Wednesday when the mercury dropped to 9 degrees Celsius, he said, adding that they were expecting similar temperatures over the next two to three nights in Karachi, as like most of the country, Karachi was also in the grip of Siberian winds.

Wearing sweaters, jackets and shawls, people in Karachi were forced to cover their heads with woolen caps on Wednesday morning due to chilly winds, while many motorbike riders preferred not venture out on their two-wheelers.

Roads became deserted on Wednesday evening, and weather pundits said that they were expecting another cold night in Karachi with the temperature remaining between 8 and 9 degrees Celsius on Thursday night.PMD officials said the entire country was experiencing extremely cold and dry conditions under the influence of Siberian high pressure. They added that under the influence of the same weather system, Karachi would also experience cool nights at least till January 5.

The lowest ever temperature in the month of December in Karachi was 1.3C, which was recorded in 1986, while the mercury dropped to zero degree Celsius in January 1934, said Sarfraz.

PMD officials said a westerly disturbance would enter Pakistan from Iran on January 4 or 5, under whose influence many areas of Balochistan and Sindh were expected to get some rains, but the minimum temperature in Karachi was expected to rise for a few days.

“Light rain or drizzle is expected in Karachi on January 6 or 7, 2020, under the influence of westerly disturbance, but the nighttime temperature is expected to rise for three to four days. As soon as this system is over, the minimum temperature is expected to drop again in Karachi,” Sarfraz said and added that the temperature could even drop up to 8 degrees Celsius in January.

According to the weather expert, January is a colder month as compared to December in Pakistan, and they are expecting the cold wave to continue in January that has dripped the entire country at the moment.

Pakistan is in the grip of severe cold where temperatures in hilly areas have dropped below the freezing point, while in the plains of Punjab and Sindh, extremely cold conditions are also being experienced. In Balochistan, the temperature dropped to -3 degrees Celsius on the previous night, PMD officials said.