By Staff Reporter
KARACHI: As a biting cold wave tightened its hold on this sprawling port city, residents bundled up against plummeting temperatures that forecasters warned could dip into the single digits over the weekend, marking one of the chilliest spells in recent memory for Karachi’s typically mild winters.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department issued its latest advisory on Saturday, predicting a minimum temperature of 8.5 degrees Celsius for the day, with conditions expected to grow even harsher on Sunday, when the mercury could fall between 7 and 9 degrees. By Monday night, a slight reprieve was anticipated, with lows edging up to 8 to 10 degrees. Daytime highs, meanwhile, were forecast to hover between 19 and 21 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, climbing modestly to 20 to 22 degrees on Monday.
The chill followed a burst of winter showers that swept through the city on Thursday afternoon, the second such episode this season, driven by a westerly weather system that delivered light to moderate rain across several neighborhoods. Gusty winds followed in the rain’s wake, amplifying the raw edge to the air and prompting many to huddle indoors or seek warmth in steaming cups of tea at roadside stalls.
Humidity levels were expected to range from 40 to 55 percent in the mornings over the next three days, dropping sharply to 10 to 25 percent at night, according to the department. Northeast and easterly winds were projected to persist through Monday, contributing to the dry, bone-chilling atmosphere that has left streets quieter than usual in this bustling metropolis of more than 20 million.
The forecast for Karachi came amid broader warnings of intensifying winter weather across Pakistan, where a fresh westerly wave was poised to bring more rain, thunderstorms and snowfall from Sunday night through Tuesday. The system was expected to first brush the western regions on January 25 before enveloping the upper parts of the country the following day. In Balochistan, most areas were braced for rain, wind and thunderstorms, with snowfall in higher elevations, starting Sunday night and continuing into Monday. Upper Sindh districts, including Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad and Dadu, were also likely to see showers on Monday.
Farther north, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir faced prospects of rain, thunderstorms and snowfall — with heavy accumulations possible in isolated spots — alongside similar conditions in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. Severe disruptions already wrought by heavy snowfall, avalanches and landslides that have paralyzed life in swaths of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Roads have been blocked, travelers stranded, and electricity supplies interrupted, hampering relief efforts in remote, mountainous areas where winter’s grip is fiercest.
In a grim toll from the season’s hazards, nine members of a single family perished on Friday when a snow avalanche engulfed their home in Chitral, burying it under tons of snow and debris. Rescue operations pressed on in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tirah Valley, where heavy snowfall had trapped a large number of displaced families fleeing the area ahead of a planned security operation. A spokesperson for Rescue 1122, Bilal Ahmed Faizi, said in a statement on Saturday that teams had been working relentlessly to evacuate those caught in the storm. “Rescue 1122 has so far rescued more than 1,500 people and 350 vehicles and shifted them to safe places during the rescue operation, while more than 100 people have also been provided medical assistance,” Faizi said. “Despite the severe cold, sub-zero temperatures and difficult routes, rescue personnel are in the field and are carrying out rescue activities without interruption.”
The Khyber district administration had suspended further evacuations from Tirah Valley on Thursday, urging families to hold off on traveling to Bara until Friday evening due to the deteriorating weather. Elsewhere, the National Highways and Motorway Police reported that the Murree Expressway, a key artery leading to the popular hill station, had reopened to limited traffic following an improvement in conditions. But a spokesperson cautioned that shifting weather and growing crowds could force another closure. “However, due to the changing weather conditions and increasing rush, there is a possibility of closing the Murree Expressway,” the spokesperson said.
The police emphasised their round-the-clock vigilance, with officers directing traffic through what they described as the “best strategy according to the situation.” Additional rain and snowfall were forecast for Murree and the surrounding Galiyat region on Monday and Tuesday, heightening risks of further disruptions. In an appeal for cooperation, the motorway police urged tourists to heed guidance from their teams, who would remain on alert to avert emergencies. “The Motorway Police will be present to guide and protect tourists,” the media department stated, advising citizens to call the helpline at 130 for urgent help or check social media updates before setting out.
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