The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued guidelines concerning the imminent heatwave expected to strike various districts across the country.
It includes Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab, and Umarkot, Tharparkar, Tando Allahyar, Matiari, and Sanghar in Sindh, during the peak of the summer season in May and June.
“The effects of climate change are evident in the increasing frequency and intensity of the heatwaves which have hit Pakistan in recent years,” Mahr Sahibzad, Director General (DG) of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) stated.
He highlighted that the intensification of heatwaves due to climate change not only increases the likelihood of heat-related illnesses and deaths but also poses secondary risks to the environment, including droughts, wildfires, and declining air quality.
According to the NDMA’s data, the projected maximum temperature for May is 48.1 degrees Celsius, with a humidity ratio of 71.72 percent. Furthermore, the maximum temperature is expected to reach 49.5 degrees Celsius in June, accompanied by a relative humidity of 82.48 percent.
In July, temperatures may soar to 48.5 degrees Celsius, with humidity levels reaching 88.86 percent. Moreover, August could see temperatures peaking at 48.63 degrees Celsius, with humidity potentially reaching 92.63 percent.
According to records from the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the highest temperature recorded between 2007 and 2024 in Pakistan was 54 degrees Celsius. It was recorded in May 2017 in Turbat, Balochistan.
While the likelihood of temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius is currently low, medical experts from the Cleveland Clinic caution that heat-related illnesses, such as heatstrokes, can occur at any temperature above 40 degrees Celsius.
