Mercury soars past 50C in Nawabshah

KARACHI: Central and upper parts of Sindh are under the influence an intense heatwave as the mercury climbed past 50 degrees Celsius at least in four cities, including Nawabshah where 50.6 degrees Celsius was recorded on Wednesday, Pakistan Meteorological Department said adding that mercury in three other cities of Sindh including Jacobabad, Dadu and Larkana also jumped to 50 degrees Celsius.

“Central areas of Sindh are under the influence of an intense heatwave, and in many cities of the interior of Sindh, the temperature remained 50 degrees Celsius, while in Nawabshah 50.6 degrees Celsius was recorded,” said Sardar Sarfraz, chief meteorological officer (CMO) Sindh, while talking to The News.

He maintained that “an intense heat low” over Sindh, southern Punjab and the adjoining Balochistan in Pakistan as well as northern India had changed the direction of winds, and due to extremely hot and dry winds, this entire region including many areas of Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh, were experiencing an extremely hot and dry weather.

Sarfraz said several cities of Sindh, including Jacobabad, Dadu and Larkana, witnessed 50 degrees Celsius, while in Mohen-Jo-Daro the mercury rose to 49.5 degrees Celsius, in Padidan 49 degrees Celsius, and in Sukkur and Rohri 47.5 degrees Celsius. In Karachi, there was hot and humid weather with gusty winds and the temperature remained 38 degrees Celsius.

“These weather conditions are likely to prevail till Thursday in the region and the temperature in these cities will remain in this range, but from Friday the temperature will start subsiding by five degrees Celsius on average in upper and central parts of Sindh,” Sarfraz said.

He further said that a westerly wave was likely to enter Pakistan from Thursday night, and under its influence rain and thunderstorm were expected in Sukkur, Larkana, Jaccobabad and Shaheed Banazirabad during Friday and Saturday.

“Dust-thunderstorm with rain is also expected in Mirpurkhas, Badin and Hyderabad on Monday under influence of this system,” Sarfraz said, adding that there were minimal chances of rain in Karachi due to this system, which was expected to cause widespread rains in upper parts of the country.

To a query, he said two cyclonic activities had started in the Arabian Sea, which would gain intensity in the first week of June. He added that under their influence, Karachi could expect a temporary rise in the temperature and later drizzle or light rain. He added that a detailed advisory in this regard would be issued later.