Hot weather took hold across southern Pakistan on Sunday, with places like Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Larkana, and Dadu in Sindh experiencing a sharp rise in temperatures.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), much of the country is bracing for intense heatwave conditions starting Monday. Temperatures in parts of Sindh could soar to between 46 and 48 degrees Celsius.
This surge in temperature is linked to a high-pressure system forming over the upper atmosphere from Sunday, expected to intensify heat across Sindh, southern Punjab, and Balochistan until April 18.
Daytime temperatures in these regions are forecasted to stay 6 to 8 degrees Celsius above usual, while central and northern areas such as Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan may also face temperatures 4 to 6 degrees above normal. Unusually warm nights are expected as well.
The Met Office cautioned that the heat could trigger dust and windstorms. People, especially children, women, and older adults, have been urged to avoid direct sunlight, stay indoors during peak heat hours, and drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
Experts have linked the early arrival of this extreme heat to climate change, stressing that more than a billion people across South Asia could be vulnerable to its impacts.