Karachi weather alert: drizzle begins as PMD warns of more rain
Karachi moved back into wet-weather conditions on Monday morning after light drizzle was reported in several parts of the city, including Jinnah Avenue, Gulshan-e-Maymar and nearby neighbourhoods, while the Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast more rain later in the day. Although the early showers were light, the development drew immediate attention because the city is still recovering from a much heavier spell of rain that recently caused deaths, injuries and severe disruption across the metropolis.
According to the PMD forecast, rain-producing clouds had already started forming over the northwestern side of Karachi, suggesting that the changing weather pattern was not limited to a brief isolated drizzle. Officials said the city was likely to remain partly cloudy over the next 24 hours, with chances of rain and thunderstorm activity in different localities. That outlook means residents, transport operators and civic managers all have reason to stay alert even if the first showers appeared mild.
The weather department also shared fresh atmospheric readings that offered a clearer picture of the day ahead. Karachi’s minimum temperature was recorded at 23.3 degrees Celsius, while the maximum was expected to remain between 29 and 31 degrees Celsius. Humidity stood at 76%, an indicator of the sticky conditions that often accompany unstable coastal weather and can make even moderate rainfall feel heavier for motorists, pedestrians and outdoor workers. Drizzle was visible on city roads during the morning, reinforcing the sense that a broader rain system was beginning to take shape.
Beyond Karachi, the PMD’s advisory pointed to a wider weather disturbance affecting Sindh and other parts of Pakistan. In Sindh, scattered rain, windstorms and thunderstorms with isolated heavy falls and hail were forecast for districts including Sukkur, Kashmore, Ghotki, Jamshoro, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Larkana and Kambar Shahdadkot. Light to moderate rain with possible hail activity was also expected in Dadu, Naushahro Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Matiari, Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Thatta, Badin, Sujawal and Karachi, showing that the city’s weather shift is part of a broader regional pattern rather than a local anomaly.
Officials urged the public to be cautious during any thunderstorm activity, especially while travelling on roads where wet conditions and reduced visibility can quickly raise accident risks. That advisory carries more weight in Karachi because even short rainfall spells often slow traffic, flood low-lying stretches and put pressure on already strained drainage and power systems. While the report did not indicate a citywide emergency on Monday morning, the official message was clear: the rain may intensify later, and residents should not treat the early drizzle as harmless background weather.
The warning is being viewed through the lens of what happened only days earlier. The heavy showers last week left at least seven people dead and three others injured in rain-related incidents across Karachi. The city also saw widespread waterlogging on April 2, with major roads submerged and traffic crawling for hours as commuters struggled to navigate through flooded streets. For many residents, that episode turned a normal monsoon-style weather bulletin into a serious public safety concern, especially in neighbourhoods where drainage failures are common.
The human toll from that earlier rain spell made the risks particularly stark. Five of the seven reported deaths occurred because of electrocution, underlining the persistent danger posed by exposed wiring and compromised electrical infrastructure during wet weather. Another fatality occurred when a wall collapsed onto a rickshaw in the Old Golimar area, killing the driver at the scene. Those details explain why even a forecast of light to moderate rain now carries outsized significance in Karachi: the issue is not only rainfall volume, but how urban systems, utilities and road conditions react once water begins to accumulate.
Looking ahead, the PMD said the fresh western disturbance approaching from the west could keep wet conditions in play across the country until April 9. For Karachi, that means the current drizzle may be only the opening phase of another unsettled weather cycle rather than a one-off shower. The city’s immediate challenge will be to manage traffic, civic response and public caution before any heavier activity develops, while residents will be watching closely to see whether the authorities can better handle a rainfall threat that has already shown how quickly it can disrupt daily life.