Pakistan to face significant surge in temperatures in coming months: PMD

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of significant temperature surge in coming months expected across country.

In the forecast, PMD warned that Pakistan would experience temperatures rise by 3°C to 5°C above normal levels.

Chief Meteorologist Muhammad Afzal revealed that alarming drop in winter rainfall recorded in Pakistan.

It was recorded 42% below normal, with Sindh receiving 63% less rain, Balochistan 53%, and Punjab 41%, he said.

The development led to water shortage with dams and water reservoirs hitting dead levels, raising concerns over water availability for agriculture and domestic use.

Afzal warned that it would lead to crop failures, the spread of diseases, and a negative impact on wildlife. He urged the public to use water wisely to mitigate the crisis.

Moreover, he said that major metropolitan areas will experience heatwave conditions due to the urban heat island effect.

The intense heat may also accelerate the melting of glaciers, increasing river flows temporarily but raising the risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and flash floods in northern areas.

The country typically receives 19.4% of its annual rainfall between April and June, however, the number is expected to be a bit lower.

Additionally, cyclone formation over the Arabian Sea cannot be ruled out in May due to the rising sea surface temperatures.

During the Eid ul Fitr holidays, most parts of the country will experience hot and dry weather, with temperatures likely to remain 2 to 3C above normal.

Moreover, Karachi daytime temperatures may also rise by 3°C to 4°C above normal.

A wet spell with rain, thunderstorms, and snowfall over mountains is expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, and northern Punjab on March 26-27.