•  This article have been shared by Waseem Ahmed from Karachi, Pakistan
  

Karachi Minimum Temperatures:

Despite Karachi is known for the conventional ‘mild’ climate as a coastal city, in early 90s it was used to see that night (minimum) temperature falling below 5°C here however in recent years, except 2007-08 winter season, the city temperature haven’t dropped below 6°C.

Although Karachi’s lowest temperature in history is 0°C (that was recorded way back in January 1934) however (since my memories) the city’s lowest temperature was 1.6°C in any year of late 1980s.

The coldest degree during last 22 years was 2°C on 2 consecutive nights in 1990-91 (as detail given in the chart). In recent times in February 2008 Karachi had very cold nights when temperature dropped to 5°C. Still it can be clearly said to those people who say ‘there is no winter in Karachi’ that there are some days and nights almost every year when Karachiites experience the ‘cold’ conditions.

A Misconception about ‘Minimum Temperature’

Minimum temperature is normally recorded late night /early morning hours (mostly during 2 to 7 am) therefore it shows what the coolest point was during last night/morning. Because the national weather department and media focus only ‘minimum temperature’ during winters therefore common people think this is the only standard to judge the temperature of the whole day. In fact the maximum temperature is the one which gives the better idea not only of ‘working hours temperature’ but also shows the overall temperature of any area (which is also followed mostly in the world and throughout the year).

Mostly in winters when there is a cloudy and windy ‘day’ then the maximum or day temperature remains low and minimum temperature a bit high side. For example recently on cloudy/drizzly day on 15^th December 2012 in Karachi: max. was 23 and minimum was 16°C therefore due to ‘cold day’ people were feeling that day ‘very cold’ and asking ‘why minimum temperature was shown so high i.e. 16?

On the other hand if conditions are ‘clear and calm’ during night/morning the minimum temperature falls further.

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