Karachi records highest night temperature in May since 2015

After recording the maximum temperature of 43.5 degrees Celsius on Monday, Karachi is likely to sizzle for another 36 hours with the maximum temperature ranging between 40 and 42°C on Tuesday under the influence of the tropical cyclone Tauktae, which is now 650km away from the city.

“Due to the suspension of sea breeze under the influence of the tropical cyclone Tauktae, Karachi sizzled at 43.5°C on Monday, and we’re expecting a similar kind of weather on Tuesday, with the maximum temperature ranging between 40 and 42°C,” said Chief Meteorological Officer Sardar Sarfraz.

He said that the brief heatwave gripping Karachi was so intense that the temperature remained 40°C even after sunset, adding that the night between Sunday and Monday was the second hottest in the history of Pakistan, as the minimum temperature was recorded at 32.5°C then.

“The night on May 8, 2015 was the hottest night on record with 34°C,” said Sarfraz, adding that the weather is likely to remain very hot over the next two nights in the city. He said they are expecting the weather to normalise a bit as per May’s standards on Wednesday afternoon with the resumption of sea breeze, adding that the maximum temperature may reach up to 38°C on that day as well.

As far as the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Tauktae is concerned, he said that it has tracked northward at a speed of 15 kmph during the last 12 hours and now lies centred at 2000 PST, 17 May 2021 near latitude 20.4N and longitude 71.2E, at a distance of about 580km south of Thatta and 650km south-south-east of Karachi.

“The maximum sustained winds around the system centre are 180-200 kmph gusting 220 kmph. The system is likely to move further northward for some time, then re-curve towards north-east and cross Indian Gujarat by midnight,” he said, adding that none of Pakistan’s coastal areas is under threat.

However, under its influence dust storms, thunderstorms and rains with a few moderate to heavy falls and gusty winds of 40-60 kmph are likely to occur in Tharparkar and Umerkot districts, and at isolated places in Badin and Sanghar districts during the next 36 hours.

Very hot and dry weather with gusty winds are likely to continue in Karachi, Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Tando Allahyar and Thatta districts until the evening.

Gusty winds may affect the fruit orchards in the above-mentioned districts. Sea conditions will remain rough to very rough, so the fishermen of Sindh are advised to suspend their activities until Wednesday.