Country witnesses unusual cold weather owing to climate change: PMD

Islamabad: National Weather Forecasting Centre Director and Spokesperson of Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Dr Khalid Malik Monday said that different parts of the country were experiencing unusual extreme cold weather this year as compared to previous years due to climate change.

Talking to a news channel, PMD’s director general said the winter season, which started in December was more intense than previous years and last month of 2019 was the coldest month of the year.

He predicted that the temperature could drop further in coming weeks with change in the weather systems and temperature would reduce up to one or two degree Celsius in the country.

He said this year they would get more rains and snowfall in northern parts of the country, which would definitely beneficial for agriculture sector and for water reserves in the country. “The ongoing spell of rain and snowfall will further bring down the temperatures.

And another spell of rain is expected from January 11,” he said. He added that the current spell of snowfall would help Pakistan meet its water requirements in summer season.

He said that the water level reached the dead level in Tarbela Dam, but the recent rains would improved the situation and the impact on the crops would be significant. “Water situation specially in Tarbela dam is likely to improve significantly when snow will start melting and rivers will swell in summer,” he added.

He hoped this would solve the water problem for at least next couple of years. “Pakistan continues to bear the brunt of climate change due to which the winter season is now shrinking more and the summer season is prolonging,” said Dr Khalid.

Dr Khalid said due to this increasing snowfall in hilly areas, more water is expected in the rivers. Despite the onset of rains and snowfall this winter, rainfall and snowfall have been higher than usual. Snowfall over the mountains this winter would break the records for the past years, he added.

The first day of the new year, January 1, 2020, was the coldest morning of the current winter, he said. Officials of PMD said all series of rains was expected from Tuesday of next week, which would reduce the dense fog situation, but shallow fog was still expecting in plain areas of the country.