Karachi city sizzles past nine-year September heat record | The Express Tribune
Mercury hits 40.7°C as humidity makes the city feel even hotter; relief expected from Wednesday
Civility: Volunteers distribute sherbet at a stall on Karachi’s Shahrae Faisal. PHOTO: JALAL QURESHI/EXPRESS
KARACHI:
September has turned into a furnace for Karachi, with the metropolis enduring its hottest September day in nine years as the mercury soared to 40.7°C on Monday.
The sweltering heat, compounded by rising humidity, pushed the heat index several degrees above the actual temperature, leaving Karachiites to endure conditions far hotter than the thermometer suggested.
The temperature recorded at the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD)’s Pehlwan Goth weather station surpassed the previous September high of 40.5°C recorded in 2017, while Karachi’s all-time September record remains 43°C, recorded on September 30, 1951.
According to PMD spokesperson Anjum Nazir Zaigham, the city had experienced a steady rise in temperatures over the past several days after relatively moderate weather at the beginning of September.
He told the Express Tribune that Monday’s temperature was the highest recorded in September since 2017, when the maximum temperature had reached 40.5°C. However, Karachi’s all-time September heat record remains 43°C, recorded on September 30, 1951, Zaigham said.
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Temperatures varied across the city’s weather stations, with Jinnah Terminal recording 41.2°C, Gulistan-e-Jauhar 41°C, Sharae Faisal 39.5°C and Maripur 39°C. The lowest maximum temperature of 34.5°C was recorded at the Bin Qasim weather station.
Zaigham attributed the recent spell of intense heat to a circulation that had developed over the Arabian Sea, which altered wind patterns. He said weak southwesterly sea breezes had also contributed to the rise in temperatures.
The PMD forecast that temperatures could reach 38°C on Tuesday, while the intensity of the heat is expected to ease from Wednesday, when the maximum temperature could fall to around 35°C.
According to the PMD’s Early Warning Centre, Karachi’s weather is expected to remain hot and humid on Tuesday and Wednesday. Humidity could rise to 55%, making temperatures feel several degrees higher than the actual readings. Sea breezes are expected to continue, accompanied by winds from the west.
Other parts of Sindh will also remain in the grip of hot weather. Maximum temperatures of 42°C were recorded in Shaheed Benazirabad, Khairpur and Hyderabad city, while Chhor recorded 41.5°C.
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