Weather update: Pakistanis warned of severe heat wave conditions

• Met Office warns people of another spell of extremely hot weather next week.
• PMD advises public to avoid unnecessary exposure to direct sunlight.
• Very hot and dry weather may cause increased energy demand.

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Friday warned the public of another spell of extremely hot weather next week.

The Met Office informed that high pressure is likely to grip the upper atmosphere from Sunday, due to which day temperatures are likely to increase gradually in most parts of the country from Sunday (May 8).

The PMD's advisory mentioned that day temperatures are likely to remain 7-9°C above normal in upper Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, while in upper and central Sindh, central and south Punjab and parts of Balochistan, day temperatures are likely to remain 6-8°C above normal.

The PMD stated that very hot and dry weather may cause water stress on water reservoirs, crops, vegetables and orchards and high temperatures may cause increased energy demand.

“High temperatures may increase the base flow in the rivers during the next week,” the Met Office added and advised farmers to manage crop water accordingly.

Meanwhile, the PMD spokesperson advised the general public to avoid unnecessary exposure to direct sunlight and to use water judiciously.

The country has been experiencing severely hot conditions for the last two months -- March and April. Notably, April 2022 turned out to be the hottest month in the last 61 years, The News reported.

“Both the months of March and April this year remained the warmest months in the history of Pakistan. In March, we have witnessed the hottest night in Karachi since 1961 when the temperature remained 29.4 degrees Celsius while in April, a minimum temperature of 28.5 degrees Celsius was recorded on April 29, 2022,” an official of the PMD had said.