Heatstroke alert: Temperature set to soar above 40 degrees in Karachi

KARACHI:  Karachi has been under a severe heat wave, with sea breezes totally halted and temperatures rising over 40°C. This has led the Meteorological Department to issue a heatstroke warning.

With humidity levels reaching 61 percent on Wednesday, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) reported hot and dry weather covering the metropolis.

The lack of sea breeze has worsened the already oppressive weather and raised the danger of heat-related disorders, including heatstroke. Residents have been urged by the department to stay hydrated, especially between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., the peak hours for heat intensity, and to avoid direct sun exposure.

A Met official reported that Karachi is now under suspended sea breezes; strong, hot and dry southeast winds are projected to blow all day at 25 to 35 kilometres per hour levels. In the evening hours, some sea breeze recovery is anticipated.

The PMD forecasts clear skies and continuous hot conditions in the next days, ruling out any chance of rain in Karachi for the day.

In other parts of the country, similar weather patterns have been noted; most areas of Balochistan and Sindh are experiencing very hot and dry conditions. The Met Office warned that southern areas of the country, especially the plains, might continue to experience heatwave conditions.

Searing heat ruled the day in Punjab; however, parts of the evening or night forecast scattered rain in other regions. Rain is expected in Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mianwali, Khushab, Bhakkar, Sargodha, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Gujarat, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Sheikhupura, Lahore, Okara, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Bahawalnagar, and Bahawalpur.

While rain is forecast in segments of Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Chitral, and Dir, the weather stayed warm in the majority of areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Though evening or nighttime hours have been predicted for rain and wind, along with hail in isolated areas, the federal capital is also expected to stay dry and hot during the day.

In some areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, thunderstorms, strong winds, and rain are forecast to offer some relief from the normally prevalent heat across most of the country.