The Climate of Pakistan
Pakistan is situated in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. It is a large country with high mountains in its western, northern and northeastern borders. Some of the higher Himalayan peaks are included in these. The southern and eastern regions consist of of low-lying plains.
The Asian monsoon is the dominant influence on the country's climate. The cool season is from mid-Oct to late Feb; during this time the days are usually quite warm and sunny, while nights are colder with occasional frost. Rain from low presssure systems usually affect the western and northern regions during this period. The weather in the higher mountains is also quite cold at this time.
Early March to late June is the warm season., when daytime temperatures in the southern and cental regions can be extremely hot. Although humidity is low, the heat can be very uncomfortable. An occasional thunderstorm, accompanied by a dust storm, may occur at this time.
The wet season occurs during the southwest monsoon, from June - early Oct. Temperatures are slightly lower then, but humidity is higher, making the weather rather unpleasant. Different parts of the country receive different amounts of rain during this period. The eastern and central plains receive abundant rain (see table for Islamabad). The southern and southeastern regions, which are mostly desert, do not receive much rain.
The southwestern area, facing the Arabian Sea, also receives little rain (see table for Karachi) and though conditions are cooler inland, the high humidity can make the climate uncomfortable. The mountainous area in the north and west receive less rain during the southwest monsoon and may be wetter during the cooler winter season (see table for Peshawar).
Sunshine is abundant all year round with 6-7 hours a day in the cool season to 10-12 during the hot season. Cloudiness increases over most of the country in the wet season, even in those areas that do not receive much rain. Heavy snowfall occurs in the higher mountains in the north.
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Karachi
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| Month |
Rainfall(mm) |
Temperature (Celsius) |
| Ave. Monthly |
Ave. No. of Days with 1mm |
Average Daily |
Lowest Recorded |
Highest Recorded |
| Min |
Max |
| Jan |
13 |
1 |
13 |
25 |
4 |
32 |
| Feb |
10 |
1 |
14 |
26 |
6 |
34 |
| Mar |
8 |
1 |
19 |
29 |
8 |
41 |
| Apr |
3 |
0.2 |
23 |
32 |
14 |
44 |
| May |
3 |
0.1 |
26 |
34 |
18 |
48 |
| Jun |
18 |
1 |
28 |
34 |
20 |
46 |
| Jul |
81 |
2 |
27 |
33 |
23 |
43 |
| Aug |
41 |
2 |
26 |
31 |
23 |
37 |
| Sep |
13 |
1 |
25 |
31 |
21 |
41 |
| Oct |
0 |
0.1 |
22 |
33 |
14 |
42 |
| Nov |
3 |
0.3 |
18 |
31 |
9 |
38 |
| Dec |
5 |
1 |
14 |
27 |
4 |
33 |
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