Karachi witnessed a significant drop in temperature on Monday as icy winds from Balochistan intensified the winter chill, with the mercury falling to 9°C, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
The cold weather was amplified by gusty northeasterly winds, making the temperature 2°C to 4°C colder than the recorded temperature, Express News reported.
Morning fog reduced visibility to 3 kilometers in some parts of the city, causing minor disturbances.
The PMD predicts a cold and dry spell in Karachi over the next 24 hours, with maximum temperatures reaching a maximum of 26°C and minimum temperatures possibly dropping to 8°C.
Throughout the day, northeast winds are expected to blow at speeds of 5 to 15 kilometers per hour. Residents are advised to prepare for the colder nights and mornings of the winter season.
Last week, Karachi was predicted to experience a significant drop in temperature, with the mercury expected to fall to single digits from January 4 as a cold wave intensifies across Pakistan.
Chief meteorologist Sardar Sarfraz said the temperature in Karachi could drop to a single-digit low of 6°C, and the cold wave would last for about a week.
He referred to speculation about breaking Karachi’s all-time low temperature record of 0°C, set in January 1934. He ruled out the possibility, stating that there is no chance of the city breaking this record.
Sardar Sarfraz predicted that the cold wave would last one to two weeks, with daytime temperatures struggling to rise above 8-10°C and nighttime temperatures potentially falling by as much as 2-4°C in some areas of the country.
Sarfraz further explained that cold winds from Quetta will move towards Karachi, causing cold that will be felt throughout the country.
He attributed the drop in temperatures to a high-pressure system forming in the north and pushing cold air masses southward.
