Pakistan Braces for Extreme Heat: Potential Temperatures of 120 Degrees
Pakistan is bracing for potentially record-breaking temperatures of 120 degrees Fahrenheit this week, as part of a broader extreme heat wave affecting South Asia and the Middle East. This pattern is increasingly seen in our warming climate, with many countries anticipating similar temperatures. The overall trend reveals that global temperatures continue to rise, alarming experts as we head deeper into 2024.
This week, Pakistan may experience staggering temperatures of up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, potentially breaking global records. This extreme heat is part of a broader pattern affecting South Asia, known for unseasonably high temperatures during April. Historically, Nawabshah’s 2018 April reading remains the highest on record for Asia, but reliability of past extremes from other locations, such as a 124-degree reading in Mexico, remains in question.
A persistent dome of high pressure is responsible for this heat wave, effectively locking in warmth from the Middle East to South Asia, a phenomenon increasingly characteristic of a world experiencing rapid climate change. The warming world sees heat extremes escalate faster than cool temperatures, a trend now becoming more pronounced.
As the week progresses, temperatures in Pakistan are expected to rise significantly, with Wednesday and Thursday projected to be the hottest days. According to the ECMWF, a leading weather model, the peak temperatures may hit the 120-degree mark in central Pakistan. The model’s previous predictions have occasionally underestimated actual highs by several degrees, suggesting the possibility of hitting low 120s.
This week, over 21 countries could record temperatures exceeding 110 degrees, including not only Pakistan but also Iran, Kuwait, and parts of Africa. By week’s end, the relentless heat will shift toward China, introducing a new wave of extreme warmth in Central Asia, where Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan may observe temperatures exceeding 100 degrees.
April temperatures in Pakistan have already been more than 4 degrees above the seasonal average, paving the way for this week’s potential record highs. Neighboring Iraq recorded its highest April temperature ever at 115 degrees, almost 3 degrees above the norm, while Turkmenistan is experiencing average temperatures around 7 degrees over its usual levels.
Globally, around 63 percent of the Earth’s surface has reported temperatures above average for April. Up to 116 countries have faced this warming trend, in stark contrast to 39 nations experiencing cooler conditions. Despite a La Niña event intended to bring cooling earlier this year, the first quarter of 2024 was actually the second warmest recorded, underscoring the alarming climate patterns that are rapidly intensifying as summer approaches for the Northern Hemisphere.
The extreme heat forecasted for Pakistan and the broader South Asia region highlights ongoing unsettling shifts in global climate patterns. With significant increases above average temperatures and early indications of dangerously high conditions, experts warn that the world must prepare for escalating heat extremes as summer progresses. Such dramatic temperature rises serve as a stark reminder of the impacts of climate change that disrupt not only individual nations but have global ramifications.
Original Source: www.washingtonpost.com
