Siberian Cold Wind cripple life in Pakistan
By Shoaib Jabbar 'Pakistan Times' Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: The severe cold that has crippled the life in most parts of the country and claimed several lives is likely to persist for another two days.

The Director General Pakistan Meteorological Department, Dr. Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry however predicted some relief in the weather conditions after next 24 to 36 hours.

When contacted, he said the cold wave now affecting the region was because of the special phenomenon created by the Siberian dry cold wind. He ruled out any possibility of rain, even during the next week.

Referring to the outlook for the next 24 hours, he said ground frost formation is likely over some plain areas of the Punjab and upper parts of the country.

According to the forecast for the next 24 hours, the minimum temperature in Islamabad may be -1. Quetta -8, Lahore zero and Peshawar one. When asked about the causes for such a change, Dr. Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry said it was due to seasonal variations and global extremes that takes place and also varies from year to year.

That’s why the minimum temperature had fallen in most parts of the country several degrees below normal. He said the minimum temperature recorded on Sunday in Islamabad was -2.0°C against the average minimum in January 2.1°C.

The lowest ever recorded in January is -4.0 °C on 02 Jan.1955. Chaudhry recalled that the Met Office had already forecast a harsh winter for the country especially for the earthquake-affected areas well before time.

A preliminary winter outlook from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) for earthquake affected areas of Pakistan predicted that the coming winter will be severe with average temperatures likely to be colder than normal.

The forecast had been made according to the prevailing regional and global conditions, which also indicated that winter in Pakistan, will arrive about 1-2 weeks earlier than normal.

Lowest night temperatures are expected to range between -2 to -7 °C in the plain areas.

It was said that in December, January and February, day temperatures would remain several degrees below freezing especially in mountainous regions with minimum temperatures (night) sometimes as low as -15 degrees Celsius. Winter in Pakistan generally begins at the end of November and lasts until the end of February, he concluded.

The mercury plunged down the freezing point in several areas of Punjab, NWFP, Balochistan and Azad Kashmir, as the Siberian icy cold wave continued sweeping across the country, while the Met. Office predicted the possibility of the intensity of cold wave easing in the next 48 hours.

The Meteorological Department said that the recorded temperature in Skardu pegged –13 degree Celsius, Gilgit –9, Rawalakot –8, Parachanar, Qalat and Quetta –10, Muzaffarabad minus one and Islamabad at minus two, Kakul –2, Murree –2.5 and Lahore –1 degree Celsius.

The department said that Saturday turned out to be the chilliest day in Lahore, as the city witnessed the temperature sinking down to –1 degree Celsius after a lapse 71 years, when on January 17, 1935 the city temperature was recorded at –2 degree Centigrade

Besides, temperatures were recorded in Peshawar and Khuzdar at 1 degree Centigrade, Sargodha at 3, Faisalabad, Multan, Khanpur, Jhelum, Jhang, Sialkot, Dera Ismail Khan and Mandi Bahauddin at 3, Bahawalpur, Sibbi, Nawabshah at 4, Bahawalnagar, Okara and Jacobabad at 5 degree Centigrade.●