Pakistan Set to Experience Record-Breaking Heat This Week
Pakistan may reach up to 120 degrees this week, challenging global heat records. A strong high-pressure dome is responsible for this heat wave, affecting not just Pakistan but several countries in South Asia and the Middle East. With warmer-than-average conditions prevailing globally, this pattern indicates troubling climate trends.
This week, Pakistan is poised to experience extreme heat, potentially reaching as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This unusual warmth is part of a larger trend across South Asia that could challenge global temperature records. According to weather historian Maximiliano Herrera, the highest recorded temperature for April in Asia was 124 degrees in Nawabshah, Pakistan, back in 2018. However, an April reading of 124 degrees in Santa Rosa, Mexico in 2001 might not be reliable.
The extreme heat is attributed to a dome of high pressure covering a wide area, acting like a lid that traps heat beneath it. This meteorological phenomenon stretches from the Middle East into South Asia and has resulted in some of the hottest April temperatures ever recorded in this region. As global temperatures continue to rise, such extreme heat events are becoming more frequent, with warm extremes significantly outpacing cool ones.
As for when the sweltering conditions will peak, forecasters are eyeing Wednesday and Thursday as the hottest days for Pakistan. The ECMWF model, which is seen as one of the most reliable, suggests a maximum temperature of around 120 degrees is likely on those days. Notably, this model had underestimated temperatures by 2 to 3 degrees last weekend, which means there’s a chance we could see temperatures even warmer than predicted.
This wave of heat isn’t just confined to Pakistan. At least 21 countries are expected to see temperatures exceeding 110 degrees this week. These nations include Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, India, and others across North and East Africa. After this week, the oppressive heat will shift east toward China, impacting regions like Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan with temperatures expected to exceed 100 degrees.
April has already been unusually warm in Pakistan, where temperatures have averaged over 4 degrees above normal. To provide context, Iraq has seen April records soar up to 115 degrees, marking the country’s highest temperature for that month. The United Arab Emirates and Turkmenistan have also reported significant temperature spikes.
So far this month, around 63 percent of the planet has experienced above-average temperatures, while only 37 percent saw cooler conditions. The situation is part of a global trend where warmer-than-average conditions have been reported in 116 countries. Interestingly, only 39 countries reported cooler than average temperatures this April.
Despite some cooler months earlier this year due to a La Niña event, the warmth is continuing into 2024, which has already broken temperature records—a stark reminder of ongoing climate change. The January to March period this year was the second warmest on record, trailing only behind last year. With summer approaching in the Northern Hemisphere, these trends hint at even heavier heat events to come.
In conclusion, Pakistan is set to face record-breaking temperatures, possibly hitting 120 degrees this week. This extreme weather is not isolated; it reflects a broader pattern of excessive heat in South Asia and beyond. The ongoing global trend of rising temperatures emphasizes the urgency to address climate change as the planet continues to experience warming extremes.
Original Source: www.washingtonpost.com
