Cold winds chill Karachi as temperature drop to single digit

KARACHI: Cold winds from Siberia swept across Karachi on Friday, causing a sharp drop in temperature, with the mercury falling to single digit.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), strong northwesterly winds from Balochistan have intensified, with winds from the Quetta region blowing at speeds of up to 20 kilometres per hour.

Following rainfall, the city recorded a minimum temperature of 8°C, while the “feels like” temperature dropped to 4°C, intensifying the cold conditions.

The increased cold spell led to a noticeable decline in traffic during late night and early morning hours. Fewer people were also seen visiting parks for morning exercise as icy winds continued to blow through the city overnight.

The PMD said the current cold wave is likely to persist until Sunday, during which the minimum temperature may drop further to 7°C.

It is worth noting that several areas of Karachi received heavy rainfall on Thursday, with Surjani Town recording the highest rainfall at 26.3 millimetres.

The PMD said Karachi weather is currently under the influence of western winds, which may bring light rain by Thursday afternoon. However, officials clarified that there is no likelihood of heavy rainfall.

Meteorologists added that due to the continued impact of western weather systems, the weather will remain dry to partly cloudy, with cold nights and cool mornings expected over the coming days.

Authorities have urged citizens, particularly children and the elderly, to stay warm as night-time temperatures are likely to remain low.