KARACHI: Twelve cities in Sindh saw the mercury soaring to 46 degrees Celsius and above on the second day of the week-long heatwave on Wednesday.

According to the Met Office, Jacobabad, Dadu and Mohenjo Daro were the hottest places not only in Sindh but in the country where maximum temperature surged to 49°C on Wednesday.

The maximum temperature recorded in Rohri, Sukkur, Khairpur, Larkana, Padidan and Shaheed Benazirabad was 48°C; Mithi (47°C); Chorr (46.5°C); Sakrand and Hyderabad (45.5°C); Mirpurkhas and Tandojam (44°C); Badin (43°C) and Thatta (38.5°C).

Data showed that maximum temperature recorded in at least five cities was five degrees Celsius above normal temperature (monthly average temperature of a specific area).

For instance, the deviation from normal was high in Mithi (5.3°C above normal) followed by Jacobabad, Rohri, Sukkur and Mohenjo Daro (5°C), Chorr (4.3°C), Mirpurkhas (4.2°C), Padidan (3.7°C) and Larkana (3.6°C).

Met officials said that the heatwave would get intense gradually, particularly in the upper and central parts of Sindh, due to the prevailing high pressure area in the upper atmosphere.

With 37.2°C as maximum temperature in Karachi, high humidity (60 per cent) made the feel-like temperature around 40°C.

Speaking to Dawn, Chief Meteorologist Dr S.Sarfaraz said the current weather situation indicated that the weather would get more intense, reaching its peak within a few days.

“In fact, there is little respite from harsh weather till June 4-5,” he said, adding that the temperature would drop slightly after May 27.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2024