Karachi likely to see morning and night drizzle

KARACHI: Humid weather and partly cloudy skies are expected to persist in Karachi during the next 24 hours, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said on Saturday.

The metrological department said light drizzle is possible at some places during the morning and night.

The PMD forecast a maximum temperature of 34°C to 36°C. The minimum temperature was recorded at 29°C, while humidity stood at 78%. Sea breezes were blowing at a speed of 15 kilometres per hour.

Meanwhile, clear skies prevailed in Peshawar, where the temperature is expected to rise to 41°C.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rain is expected in most upper districts during the next 24 hours, according to the PMD. Hot weather is forecast in the province’s plains. Peshawar’s minimum temperature was recorded at 26°C, and the humidity at 43%.

The cities’ forecast comes during a month in which the PMD expects above-normal mean temperatures nationwide. The department said the likelihood of warmer-than-normal conditions was particularly high over southern regions, stretching from eastern Balochistan and western Sindh to central Punjab.

The PMD data for May showed Sindh received 0.3 millimetres of rainfall, 91.3% below its 1991–2020 normal of 3.1 millimetres. The province’s mean temperature was 35.2°C, or 1.0°C above normal.

For June, the department expects near-normal to slightly below-normal rainfall across the country. Its probabilistic outlook said near-normal rainfall probabilities dominate across southern regions, including much of Sindh, although rainfall could vary considerably from place to place.

In its monthly outlook, the PMD said above-normal temperatures could increase the potential for heat spikes and prolonged heatwave conditions, especially across the plain areas of Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan.

Below-normal rainfall could make extended heat-like conditions more likely in these regions.

The department also said isolated heavy downpours could still trigger localised urban flooding in major cities, particularly in poorly drained and low-lying areas, despite below-normal rainfall.