Karachi:
A heat wave is expected to arrive in the city on Sunday (today), with winds from the northwest of the hot Baluchistan deserts that dominate most of the time. Due to the cessation of the marine breeze and an increase in 50 percent humidity levels in the morning, mercury can reach 41 degrees Celsius and more.
It is likely that the heat wave will continue until April 23, according to the Department of Meteorology of Pakistan (PMD). Children, women and older people who avoid direct exposure to the sun have been advised and consume a lot of water.
The heat wave is caused by a gradual fall in air pressure, which will lead to a significant increase in temperature in Karachi. However, temperatures are expected to decrease in the central districts of Sindh, according to a spokesman for the Pakistan Meteorology Department.
The PMD Early Warning Center has issued a heat wave alert, stating that the city will experience today a heat wave with hot, dry and wet climatic conditions for several days.
During the heat wave, the sea breeze can cease completely from morning to night, and the hot desert winds of Baluchistan will hit the city, which potentially push temperatures above 41 degrees Celsius.
According to the MET office, in the new heat wave, the temperature is expected to remain four to six degrees above normal during this period.
It is worth noting that previously the alert of the heat wave was announced as of Monday.
The weather department recorded on Saturday the maximum temperature of the city that touched 36.5 degrees Celsius, with a moisture level of 26 percent. Jacobabad in Rural Sindh recorded the highest temperature, reaching 45 degrees Celsius, 6.5 degrees above normal.
A spokesman for the Department of Meteorology, Anjum Nazir Zaighum, said that during a heat wave, there is the possibility that the sea breeze will be active again after the night. If the marine breeze remains closed continuously, the climate situation could become severe.
He added that the heat wave in Karachi is caused by air pressure, which is linked to a western system that enters the country. The decrease in air pressure could lead to extremely hot weather in the city, while the temperature can decrease in the districts of the upper and central Sindh.
