Latest news with #MaximilianoHerrera
Express Tribune
30-04-2025
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Temperatures in Pakistan may hit record 50°C: report
Listen to article Temperatures in parts of Pakistan may reach unprecedented levels this week, nearing the global record for the month of April, according to The Washington Post report. Southern and central Pakistan recorded temperatures up to 118°F (47.7°C) over the weekend, and forecasts predict the mercury could climb even higher through Wednesday, potentially approaching the all-time April high of 122°F (50°C). That record was set in 2018 in Nawabshah, in Sindh province — the same area now under close watch again. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has issued heatwave warnings for many areas of the country from April 26 to 30, urging citizens to take precautions amid dangerously high temperatures. The intense heat is part of a broader dome of high pressure stretching from the Middle East into South Asia — a phenomenon likened by experts to a "lid trapping heat in a pot." The heatwave has contributed to soaring temperatures not only in Pakistan but also across more than 20 countries in the region. According to Maximiliano Herrera, a weather historian who tracks global extremes, Nawabshah's 2018 temperature still stands as Asia's highest for April. While a 124°F reading was once reported in Santa Rosa, Mexico in 2001, it is considered unreliable by most meteorological standards. This week, computer models — including the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) — are predicting highs near 120°F for parts of central Pakistan, particularly on Wednesday and Thursday. Since the model slightly underestimated last weekend's actual temperatures, experts say reaching or surpassing the 2018 record is within the realm of possibility. As the heat intensifies, the impact is expected to ripple across neighbouring countries. Temperatures above 110°F are forecast in nations including Iran, India, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates. Later in the week, the sweltering air mass is projected to shift eastward, bringing searing heat to Central Asian countries like Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. This comes as April 2025 has already seen record-shattering warmth in several regions. Iraq recently reported its highest April temperature at 115°F, while the UAE and Iran experienced similar peaks. Turkmenistan has stood out as one of the hottest places on Earth this month, with average temperatures over 7 degrees above normal. In Pakistan, April temperatures so far have been more than 4 degrees Fahrenheit above average — even before this week's peak heat. Climate experts note that this extreme heat aligns with broader trends in a warming world. The first three months of 2025 were the second warmest on record globally, following a record-setting 2024. Despite the emergence of a La Niña pattern earlier this year — which traditionally brings cooler conditions — global temperatures have remained high, defying historical norms. With the summer season fast approaching in the Northern Hemisphere, scientists warn that such heatwaves will become more frequent and intense unless global emissions are curbed.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Potentially record-breaking heat wave in Pakistan is testing human limits
An early heat wave stretching through the Middle East and South Asia could cause areas of Pakistan to reach the global April heat record, and is testing the limits of human survivability. Last weekend, the temperatures in central and southern Pakistan reached 118 degrees Fahrenheit and are forecast to rise through Wednesday, per The Washington Post. It is possible that the area will near the global April record of 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The record was set in 2018 when Nawabshah, a city in southern Pakistan, reached that extreme heat level. Weather historian Maximiliano Herrera maintains a list of monthly global temperature extremes that lists Nawabshah's 122 degrees as the record for April, at least in all of Asia. According to The Washington Post, there was a reading of 124 degrees in Santa Rosa, Mexico, in 2001 that may not be reliable. So far this month, temperatures have been more than 4 degrees above average in Pakistan, even before the arrival of the potentially record-breaking heat wave. Other countries such as Iraq, Iran, Niger, Turkmenistan and the United Arab Emirates have also seen above average temperatures this month. The wave of excessive warmth in the Middle East and South Asia is being caused by a 'sprawling dome of high pressure, like a heavy lid trapping heat in a pot,' according to The Washington Post. These areas typically experience heat waves in summer months, but this heat wave has come earlier than normal, per CNN. Heat wave conditions have been predicted by the Pakistan Meteorological Department from April 26-30. One of the most reliable weather models in the world, ECMWF, is predicting high temperatures around 120 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday in central Pakistan. The same model underestimated last weekend's high temperatures by around 2 to 3 degrees, meaning it's possible that Pakistan will reach temperatures in the low 120s this week, per The Washington Post. Temperatures over 110 degrees have been forecasted in 21 countries this week: Pakistan, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, India, Iraq, Qatar, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Oman, South Sudan, Bahrain, Mali, Senegal, Chad, Ethiopia, Niger, Eritrea, Nigeria and Burkina Faso. In the later part of the week, the heat is expected to move eastward toward China. According to CNN, experts say the rising temperatures coming earlier in the year are testing human limits. The arrival of early summer in India and Pakistan is testing the survivability limits of the people in these countries, putting huge strain on energy supplies, vital crops and livelihoods. Typically, both countries experience heat waves during the summer months of May and June, but this year's heat wave season has come earlier than normal and is expected to last longer as well. In recent decades, tens of thousands of people in India and Pakistan have been killed by extreme heat, per CNN. Climate experts say that by 2050, India will be one of the first places to go above human survivability limits. Pregnant women and their unborn children are particularly at risk under heat wave conditions, with many babies being born preterm in the summer and with respiratory issues. One major issue that comes with heat waves is persistent power outages, with areas losing power for up to 16 hours a day. 'This has intensified the impact of the heat, making it harder for people to cope,' said Ayoub Khosa, who lives in Pakistan, per CNN. The increased demand for electricity can also lead to coal shortages, causing more people to be without power for longer periods of time. It also causes problems for laborers and farmers, making it difficult to work; with a lack of drinking water, people fall sick, feel like vomiting or feel dizzy from the heat. It also causes issues for planting and harvesting crops, leading to lower yields. The effects of heat waves are felt more strongly by people living in communities without access to cooling measures or adequate housing, per CNN. So far this month, 63% of the world has experienced above-average temperatures and the other 37% has experienced below-average temperatures, per The Washington Post. Around 116 countries have been affected by warmer-than-average conditions. A strong El Niño caused 2024 to be a record-breaking warm year around the world, and this year's La Niña event hasn't done much to cool things down. This year's January to March period was the second-warmest on record for the world, behind only 2024, according to The Washington Post.
