ISLAMABAD, October 19,2024: Pakistan witnessed 51 % above average rains in 2024 monsoon, according to a report issued by Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
The PMD report on 2024 monsoon season, highlighting significant weather anomalies, including record-breaking rainfall and temperature variations across the country.
From July 1 to August 30, Pakistan saw 51% more rainfall than the average, with some regions experiencing an unprecedented downpour, while others faced higher-than-normal temperatures. Balochistan and Sindh were the hardest hit by the heavy rainfall, with Balochistan receiving 111% more rain than usual and Sindh seeing 108% more.
Punjab recorded a 48% increase in rainfall, while Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Gilgit-Baltistan had smaller increases of 5% and 2%, respectively. In contrast, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) experienced a 21% decrease in rainfall compared to the average.
The typical monsoon season in Pakistan averages around 212mm of rainfall, but this year, totals far exceeded expectations. Lahore alone received a staggering 951.1mm of rain during the season, with 603mm falling in August alone.
On August 1, the city’s airport recorded an all-time high of 337mm of rain in a single day, marking the heaviest single-day rainfall in the country’s history.
The report also pointed to the influence of Typhoon Asna, a rare storm in the Arabian Sea, which contributed to the unusual weather patterns. Such events, though infrequent, are expected to increase as climate change continues to impact global weather systems.
Alongside the heavy rains, the monsoon season also saw a rise in average temperatures, which were 0.71°C above the normal. This made it the fourth-hottest monsoon in the past 64 years, with the highest average temperature recorded in 2019 at 30.63°C.
The highest temperature during this year’s monsoon season occurred in Turbat on July 7, where the mercury soared to 49°C. Other areas such as Dalbandin and Naukundi also faced extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 48°C on July 4.
On the other hand, Skardu experienced the coldest weather, with temperatures dropping to 7.3°C on September 30, and an average September temperature of 11.1°C, making it the coolest location during the season.