An Op-Ed by Yahya from Karachi, a part of the PWP INTERACTIVE series

The 2025 monsoon in Karachi began with a proper spell during the last week of June. From the night of June 26 to June 28, a thunderstorm brought good rainfall to the city. However, no rain occurred after that, and July remained very dry. Following the dry spell, the monsoon returned with a bang in mid-August.

August 16

The day started partly to mostly cloudy, and by afternoon, thunderclouds became visible from the north and northeast. By evening, the sky had become overcast, but no rain fell during the evening or night. It was quite a warm and humid day, with temperatures reaching 35–36°C.

August 17

The day began partly to mostly sunny, but from 11:00 AM onwards, the sky became partly cloudy as thunderclouds approached from the west, north, and northeast. It was another hot day to endure. The evening was partly to mostly cloudy, turning completely overcast by night, with some areas reporting late-night showers.

August 18

Morning brought another sunny start, though thunderclouds soon appeared. Temperatures hit 36°C, but high humidity made it feel like 43°C. Thunderclouds continued to dominate the sky, and by evening, a massive cell from the west started towering overhead. I think I heard a single, distant rumble of thunder. By sunset, the sky was completely overcast. Around 8:00 PM, lightning flashes were visible and light showers were reported, but everything quieted down after that. The sky remained cloudy for the rest of the night.

August 19

This was the day the very heavy rainfall hit. Light to heavy showers were already falling by morning. After 8:00 AM, the sky stayed cloudy with only weak sunlight breaking through. However, by 1:30 PM, the skies turned incredibly dark and dramatic. Soon after the Zuhr Azan, a torrential downpour began, accompanied by strong northeastern winds, loud thunderclaps, and frequent lightning. It rained nonstop for two and a half hours. After 4:00 PM, the rain started up again briefly before stopping. Roads were heavily flooded, causing massive traffic jams. By evening, the skies darkened yet again, bringing another round of severe rain, thunderstorms, and lightning, with winds continuing to blow from the northeast. The rain finally stopped after 8:00 PM, leaving behind a light drizzle. By 11:00 PM, I noticed an eerie, unusual silence on the roads. At least 180mm of rain was recorded within 24 hours, a number that genuinely surprised me. This marked the first time Karachi crossed the 100mm+ mark since 2020 and 2022.

August 20

The day started cloudy with weak sunshine. By the afternoon, however, the skies darkened with horrific, low clouds, and it began raining alongside strong winds from the north and northeast. Thankfully, the evening remained calm. But during the night, the winds suddenly picked up, followed by a terrifyingly loud thunderclap that sounded like a bomb. It rained with thunder and lightning for a short while before stopping. Orangi Town reported a staggering 113mm of rain for the day.

August 21

As in previous days, it started out cloudy and then turned dark—much like August 19—but thankfully, no severe weather materialized. Surprisingly, the afternoon became partly sunny. By evening, the clouds returned, bringing persistent rain that lasted into the night.

August 22

Finally, a partly to mostly cloudy day brought some respite from the heavy rains. The day saw intervals of clouds and sunshine, with only a light drizzle occurring during the night as the pleasant southwestern breezes returned.

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