Owais Mughal
Pakistan is sizzling these days. Not just in political terms but literally.
The image aboce is from MSN weather site. Note the pinkish spots on most of the Punjab and Sindh-Baluchistan-Punjab border area. This color shows temperatures in excess of 45C (113F).
Large parts of the country are reporting daily temperatures in excess of 40C. Numerous lives have been unfortunately lost due to this heat wave in both Pakistan and India. As of June 12, Dawn newspaper is reporting 47 people have lost their lives in Pakistan. Today a friend forwarded me an email drawing my attention to 5-day weather forecast for Sibi. According to CNN weather website, temperature in Sibi Pakistan is going to hit 57C (or 134F) on Friday June 15, 2007. The forecast can be seen here.
I also consulted MSN‘s weather forecast and their website predicts a 47C (116F) for Sibi on Thursday. MSN’s forecast is here. There is a 10C difference in CNN and MSN weather forecast. Now whether CNN’s or MSN ‘s forecast holds true on friday, the point is that it is going to be very hot. Let us hope that WAPDA keeps electricity flowing, water utility keeps water flowing and there be no heat strokes. Just three days ago on June 9, 2007; 51C (124F) was recorded in Sibi.
After reading the above forecsast I went looking for temperature records. It looks like the world record of highest recorded temperature is 58C (136F) recorded on Sept 13, 1922 in Al Azizia, Libya. Asian record of highest recorded temperature is 54C (127F) recorded on June 21, 1942 in Tirat Tsvi. If CNNs forecast holds true then this infamous Asian record will come Pakistan’s way as early as tomorrow. Did I hear somebody say global warming?
According to CNN Weather, following is the forecast for major Pakistani cities for June 12, 2007: Sibi 54C (129F), Peshawar 53C (127F), Lahore 51C (124F), Sargodha 49C (120F), Faisalabad and Multan 48C (118F), Nawabshah 47C (116F), Islamabad 45C (113F) and Karachi 36C (96F).
References:
(1) Hottest temperature on Earth
(2) Photo of Sibi Jn is courtesy of Omar Marwat.
Bare zor kee partee hai Bijlee!!!!
Ya Allah have mercy on the poor…
I think a thunder storm is on the way. By Thursday most of Pakistan will get relief.
PMA,
Don’t you think you will be a little too early for the grapes. They normally come in the market in September. Don’t they?
Oh Lord! My relatives in Sibi and Jackababad must be leaving their brick and morter homes and heading for our anccestoral mud abodes in Chaman. Soon it will be time for ‘Garma’ (mellon) and grapes in Chaman, Qala Abdullah, Qala Saifullah, and Boostan and Gulistan. Oh I miss my Pakistan.