Karachi, October 18, 2024- The Pakistan Meteorological Department has released its report on monsoon rains from July 1 to September 30, revealing that the country received 51% more rainfall than the seasonal average this year.
According to the report, the monsoon season saw an unusual weather event with the formation of Cyclone Asna in the Arabian Sea, a rare phenomenon. Nationwide, the average rainfall during the monsoon season typically measures 212 mm, but this year’s rains significantly exceeded that figure, particularly in Balochistan, which received 111% more rain than usual, followed by Sindh with 108% and Punjab with 48% above average.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, however, experienced 5% less rainfall than normal, while Gilgit-Baltistan saw a slight increase of 2%. In contrast, Azad Jammu and Kashmir recorded 21% below average rainfall.
Balochistan and Sindh stood out with exceptionally high rainfall this year. In terms of temperature, the country’s normal monsoon average is 30.59°C. This year, however, temperatures were 0.71°C higher, marking the fourth highest recorded temperature during the monsoon season over the past 64 years. The highest record remains from 2019, when the average temperature reached 30.63°C.
The report also highlighted extreme weather events, with Lahore recording 337 mm of rain on August 1, the highest one-day rainfall in the country this year. Throughout August, Lahore received a total of 603 mm of rain, while the city saw 951.1 mm of rain throughout the entire monsoon season.
The hottest day of the monsoon was recorded in Dalbandin and Nokundi on July 4, with Turbat reaching 49°C on July 7. On the opposite end, the coldest night was observed in Skardu on September 30, where the temperature dropped to 7.3°C, making it the coldest place in the country. Skardu’s average September temperature stood at 11.1°C.
