Cold Wave to Intensify in Karachi from January 4

Karachi is likely to experience a sharp drop in temperatures from January 4 to 5, with the mercury possibly falling to single digits, according to a forecast issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department on Wednesday.

PMD Deputy Director Anjum Nazeer said a series of western weather systems has been affecting Pakistan since December 29, bringing light rainfall to parts of the country, including Karachi.

He said light rain was recorded across most areas of the city, with Kemari receiving the highest amount at six millimetres. The rainfall has now largely ended, he added.

Meteorologists said the western winds are expected to shift eastward, after which cold Siberian winds will begin to influence the region. This change is expected to further intensify cold conditions in Karachi over the coming days.

The PMD also forecast rain accompanied by wind and thunderstorms, along with snowfall over hilly areas, in northern Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Islamabad and parts of Punjab during the next 12 hours.

Fog in patches is likely to continue over the plain areas of northeast and south Punjab as well as upper Sindh during the morning and night. Cold and cloudy weather is expected in most other parts of the country.

Temperatures recorded on Wednesday morning showed Islamabad and Muzaffarabad at eight degrees Celsius, Lahore at nine, Karachi at 20, Peshawar at 10, Quetta at three, Gilgit at six and Murree at four degrees Celsius.

In occupied Kashmir, Srinagar, Pulwama and Shopian recorded zero degrees Celsius, while Jammu stood at nine degrees. Leh reported minus nine degrees, and Anantnag and Baramula recorded one degree Celsius.