Pakistan is bracing for a weekend of extreme weather contrasts as a blistering heatwave grips the south while rain and dust storms prepare to sweep through upper and central regions starting May 2.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) confirmed Tuesday that a westerly wave will enter the country’s upper reaches on Thursday. This system is expected to trigger thunderstorms and heavy winds across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, and parts of Punjab through May 5.
While the rain offers a break from the rising mercury, the accompanying dust storms pose a risk to standing crops and provincial power infrastructure. In the south, the story is dangerously different.
Cities across Sindh, including Jacobabad, Larkana, and Nawabshah, are currently seeing temperatures hover between 45°C and 48°C. It’s a dry, punishing heat that has forced local authorities to issue health advisories. Karachi isn’t spared either; high humidity levels are pushing the “real feel” temperature well above the actual readings on the thermometer.
“The contrast is sharp,” a PMD official said, noting that while the north gets a temporary reprieve, the southern plains will remain under a “severe heat spell” for at least another four days.
The “so what” for the public is clear: the relief in the north comes with a price. Farmers in the Potohar region and central Punjab are particularly concerned. The timing of the predicted windstorms and hailstorms could damage the tail-end of the harvesting season. Residents in these areas have been told to stay away from electric poles and weak structures during the peak of the wind activity.
In Sindh, the focus remains on survival. Hospitals in the interior have been put on alert for heatstroke cases.
With the mercury expected to stay near 50°C in some pockets, the provincial government is urging citizens to avoid direct sunlight between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM. The rain is expected to subside by Sunday evening, but the heat in Sindh shows no signs of a significant retreat before next week. For now, the country remains split between a furnace in the south and a storm front in the north.
