Pre-Monsoon system expected to hit Sindh from Saturday

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted that a pre-monsoon weather system will likely begin affecting the eastern regions of Sindh starting Saturday evening.

The Met Office stated that extreme heat and dry conditions will prevail across most areas of Sindh on Friday. However, by Saturday, strong winds and thunderstorms may bring rain to isolated areas in Tharparkar and Umerkot. On Sunday, strong winds and rainfall are also expected to hit Ghotki, Sukkur, Jacobabad, and nearby areas.

Meanwhile, weather analysts said on Friday that hot and dry conditions continue to grip Karachi, with maximum temperatures expected to range between 37°C and 39°C in the coming days.

The weather department has forecast that extreme heat and dry conditions will prevail across most parts of Sindh throughout the day, while the disruption in sea breeze over Karachi and other coastal areas will likely persist for several days.

Analysts attributed the disruption in sea breeze to wind circulation over India’s Gujarat region and the presence of a western weather system, both of which may also increase heat intensity in Karachi.

The Meteorological Department reported that Lahore’s ongoing heatwave continued on Friday, with temperatures reaching 44°C and heat intensity rising to 47°C. Meteorological authorities blamed the extreme weather on a prolonged dry spell between May and June.

The Met Department reported that the heatwave severely affected most districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Peshawar, where the temperature hit 40°C and may rise to 44°C.

It recorded humidity levels at 52% in the provincial capital and noted that regional temperatures had risen by 6°C to 7°C above the seasonal average.

Temperatures in Dera Ismail Khan and Bannu peaked at 47°C, while officials recorded nearly 48°C across much of the Cholistan Desert.

The Meteorological Department forecast light rainfall for Peshawar and several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa starting Friday. It also expects the intense heat to persist in southern Punjab for the next two days.

Locals in the region reported that extreme temperatures and dried-up wells had caused water reserves in the desert to vanish, creating severe hardship for livestock. Residents in the affected areas said the crisis had led to livestock deaths and forced migration.