KARACHI: Karachi will remain hot and dry over the coming days, with maximum temperatures likely to touch 39 degrees Celsius, the Pakistan Meteorological Department said on Monday. The Karachi hot dry weather spell brings no rain and plenty of sunshine, according to the department’s three-day forecast.
In its city-wise forecast, the PMD predicted a minimum of 26°C and a maximum of 39°C for the city. The maximum is expected to reach 39°C on Monday and Tuesday before easing slightly to 38°C on Wednesday. Sunny conditions will persist through the period.
Karachi hot dry weather: why October still feels like summer
Anjum Nazir Zaigham, deputy director of the Met Department in Karachi, said hot and dry conditions would continue over the next few days. Maritime winds and north-westerly winds from Balochistan will influence the weather, he said.
Zaigham described the October heat as a normal seasonal phenomenon and part of the seasonal transition. Winter winds gradually begin to establish themselves during October, he added, but the shift takes weeks.
There is relief on the horizon, though not immediately. Cooler mornings and nights should begin from mid-November, with colder weather likely to set in between early and mid-December. Zaigham added that unusually cold weather is not expected this year, with winter temperatures likely to stay within the normal seasonal range.
A hot year keeps getting hotter
Karachi has run hot since September. The mercury hit 40.7°C on September 21, making it the city’s hottest September day in nine years. The reading at the PMD’s Pehlwan Goth weather station beat the previous September high of 40.5°C recorded in 2017.
The department blamed a circulation over the Arabian Sea that altered wind patterns, along with weak south-westerly sea breezes. The heat did not stop there: Karachi recorded 39.1°C on September 22, and on September 23 the PMD warned that October could run warmer than usual. It partly blamed the prolonged heat on the early end of the monsoon season.
The city also endured an intense heatwave in May, when temperatures crossed 44°C, marking Karachi’s hottest day since 2018. The PMD had warned that temperatures could exceed 41°C during that spell, while high humidity pushed the feels-like temperature towards 50°C.
For residents, the advice is familiar but worth repeating: limit outdoor activity during peak afternoon hours, drink water regularly, and check on elderly family members and outdoor workers. The city’s air quality has also been under strain this season, with a Copernicus report flagging ozone pollution over Lahore as a wider regional concern. In the capital, water quality worries have added to public health pressures.
Frequently asked questions
How hot will Karachi get this week?
The Met Office forecasts highs of 39°C on Monday and Tuesday, easing to 38°C on Wednesday, with lows around 26°C and sunny conditions throughout.
When will cooler weather arrive in Karachi?
Cooler mornings and nights are expected from mid-November, with colder weather likely between early and mid-December. No unusually cold winter is expected.
Why is October still so hot in Karachi?
The Met Department says it is a normal seasonal transition. Winter winds establish gradually through October, and this year the monsoon ended early, prolonging the heat.
