Climate

Climatic Conditions:-
Highland Climate:
➢ Northern, North-Western & Western Mountains

➢ Long & cold summer’s
➢ Short & mild winters
➢ Rainfall in the N.M (2000-8000 m) is highest + short, mild & wet summers
➢ Rainfall in the W.M (1000-4000 m) is lowest (125mm to 250mm) + dry & warm summers
➢ From South of Kohat and Waziristan rainfall occurs in winters & it decreases.
➢ To N.W, Gilgit & Chitral experience less rainfall as they are rain shadow areas
➢ Southward temperatures increases in summers & winters
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➢ Growth of trees is retarded
➢ Grass is underneath the snow
➢ Rivers & torrents also freeze
➢ Farming isn’t possible But people engage in carpet weaving, embroidery work & pottery
➢ Transhumance (KPK hills are sparsely populated)
➢ Pathans are nomads (they keep sheep & goats)
➢ Vale of Peshawar (extensive woodlands, orchards & irrigated fields)
➢ Inaccessible areas due to landslides & roads are blocked
➢ Limited job opportunities
➢ Lack of water in W.M discourages human settlements & crop cultivation
➢ Grapes, apples, mangoes & apricots are grown here.
Lowland Climate
➢ Entire Indus Plain except coastal areas

➢ Lies at western end of tropical monsoon
➢ Arid & extreme climate with hot summers, cool winters & summer monsoon rainfall
➢ Foothills of N.M &Potwar Plateau are more wetter (+ western depression) than Indus Plain
➢ Thunderstorms (common in N & N.W I.P)
➢ Southern U.I.P & whole of L.I.P receive much less rainfall & high spells of temperatures
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➢ Punjab is the most productive region
➢ It's densely populated (alluvial plains, moderate rainfall, tolerable summer & winter temp.)
➢ Due to varied & irregular rainfall, well-developed canal irrigation system exists
➢ Wheat, millet, cotton & sugarcane is grown
Arid Climate
➢ S.W Balochistan & S.E Desert

➢ Dry & hot climate
➢ Hot & dusty winds from mid-may to mid-sep
➢ Scanty rainfall takes place in S.W Balochistan during winter
➢ In S.E Desert, summer monsoon brings little rainfall
➢ Extreme heat, dryness &dust storms are common
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➢ Kharan & S.E desert
➢ Not ideal for habitation or cultivation (extreme heat & low precipitation 100mm & 38°C)
➢ Nomads (Pathans, Balochis & Brahuis)
➢ Karez (Wheat, Millet, Barley, Grapes, Apples, Peaches & Melons)
➢ Reclamation of large areas (Rice, Wheat, Cotton & Oilseeds)
Coastal Climate
➢ Includes Indus delta, Karachi & whole of Makran Strip

➢ Throughout the year sea-breeze + maritime influence (low temp.)
➢ Humidity is +50% in April-Sep.
➢ Mean 32°C
➢ May, June & October are hottest
➢ In Oct, dry winds from s.e desert dominates climate
➢ Karachi-Rann of Kuch experience rainfall in monsoon
➢ Makran receives rainfall in winter
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➢ In winter months tourists & expatriates visit and social events take place
➢ Precipitation impacts drinking water supply, as it comes from reservoirs that are rain dependant
➢ Moderate climate encourages the functioning of Gwadar port (trade)
➢ Mild climate allows economic activities
➢ Farming is possible
➢ Road, Rail & Air Transport is open
➢ All industries are in operation
➢ Fishing is impossible when sea goes wild
➢ Tropical cyclones cause loss
Winter Precipitation:-
Advantages:
➢ Light showers; increases moisture content for soil & helps prevent soil erosion
➢ HEP water (rivers)
➢ Irrigational water (rivers and reservoirs)
➢ Aids in Barani farming
➢ Helps in water supply for Rabi crops
➢ Snowfall forms glaciers
➢ Snowfall attracts tourists
Disadvantages:
➢ Crop planning is difficult as year to year amount varies

➢ Low rainfall means Barani farming becomes impossible
➢ Avalanches & landslides causes damages to environment
➢ Snowfall lower temperature, thus it make crop cultivation impossible
➢ Transport facilities become blocked
➢ Farmers are forced to practice transhumance when grazing ground are covered snow
➢ Health problems (frost bite & asthma issues)
Climatic Elements:-
Temperature:
➢ Causes of diversity in temperature in various regions;

❖ Large spread of latitude (24°N to 37°N)
❖ Diversity of relief (M. In extreme North to Coast in extreme south)
➢ Areas;
❖ UIP & LIP heat up during summer, so the temperature is 40°C-45°C
❖ Jacobabad (LIP) is the thermal pole of the area. Max temperatures reach 53°C in June & average
43°C in May-June
➢ Factors that effect temperature in Pak;
❖ Latitudinal Effect= Areas closer to equates are hotter as they receive direct days from sun (thus
higher temperatures in southern than northern Pak.)
❖ Continental Effect= In summer land heats up quickly in day than the sea and cools quickly at night
than the sea & in winter land cools up quickly than the sea. That’s why extreme summer & winter
temperatures are recorded in the interior of large landmass, far away from the sea.
❖ Altitude & Temperature= Air is the most dense at sea level (absorbs more vapour & solar radiation).
Air is the least dense at highest latitude levels (absorbs less vapour & solar radiation). Per 1000
metres leads to fall in 6.5°C
❖ Cloud Cover & Temperature = C.C at daytime reduces incoming solar radiation by reflecting it back
and thus keeps earth cool but at night it traps the out going heat, keeping earth warm (clear nights
are cooler)
❖ Latitude & Angle of Sun= It is basic knowledge that sun’s days don’t fall same everywhere on earth.
We have a high angle of Sun (shorter distance through atmosphere covered by Sun's rays) & low
angle of Sun (longer distance through atmosphere covered by Sun's rays). Thus in summer when the
northern hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, the land absorbs more heat (high angle of Sun & face
the Sun longer). And thus in winter when the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, the
land absorbs less heat (high angle of Sun & face the Sun shorter)
Rainfall
➢ Monsoon
❖ 2 types; S.W Monsoon (summer winds) & N.E Monsoon (winter winds)
❖ S.W= Sun heats up land faster than sea. Warm air rises over land & creates a low pressure zone. This
attracts cool & moist air from the sea. They bring summer rainfall to Indus Plain & northern areas
from Bay of Bengal (June-Sep). Sometimes an overactive monsoon can destroy coastal infrastructure
❖ N.E= Sun heats up sea faster than the land. Warm air rises over sea & creates a low pressure zone.
This attracts mostly dry & rainless air as they originate over dry area and thus cause no major effect.
➢ Western Depression
❖ Cyclones originate over Mediterranean Sea, travel across Afghan and Iran & bring rainfall to western
areas of Pak. in winter (Dec-March)
❖ Begin from N.W (Peshawar) 7 by the time they read S.W Balochistan it’s deprived of moisture.
➢ Relief Rainfall
❖ Moist unstable wind moves up a mountain/scarp edge and is chilled & this causes heavy
condensation and precipitation. Lee slope receives sinking warm air, thus in such an area dry
‘rainshadow area' exists
❖ Rain in N.M & W.M due to high altitude
➢ Conventional Currents
❖ In start of summer hot air rises (It has high moisture content) &reaches the high layers of
atmosphere where condensation takes place. This causes heavy rainfall, accompanied by
thunderstorms & strong winds that pick up dust.
❖ Southern Pakistan has temperature inversion layer, thus deprived of C.C.
❖ TIL doesn’t allow condensation to take place, thus warm air is returned back and no rainfall takes
place (Karachi)
❖ Rainfall in Northern Punjab & KPK in May-June
➢ Tropical Cyclones
❖ Few hours of very heavy rainfall & destructive winds
❖ Common in coastal areas
❖ Originate over Arabian sea but rarely reach coast
❖ Unreliable source of rain
Pressure & Winds:
➢ Ditto monsoon
Natural Disaster:-
Floods:
➢ Causes:
❖ They can be caused by variety of factors like heavy monsoon rainfall, accompanied with melting of
snow and ice in glaciers, dam or barrage failure, unusually high tides in coastal areas and by a
tsunami. However their effects can be exacerbated by factors like deforestation, failure to heighten
or strengthen embankments, poor medical and communication facilities in aftermath of disaster and
inadequate warning systems to allow people time for escape.
➢ Benefits of floods:
❖ They are limited to restoring underground water supplies, filling reservoirs of dam, prevent serious
flooding, encourage breeding and multiplication of fish and laying down a fresh layer of silt on the
inundated soil; which makes the soil fertile.
➢ Effects:
❖ People and livestock die due to drowning. It can also lead to epidemics and waterborne diseases.
Moreover, there would be suspension of Trade- Airports can be closed (businessmen can be
affected), roads and railway lines severed causing disruption to supplies of raw materials and
products etc. Water supplies can be contaminated. Crops can be washed away, thus leading to food
shortages. There could be a shortage of supplies to agro-based industries, like shortage of raw
cotton to cotton factories. These factories thus won’t be able to fulfil their orders and will lose
customers. To reduce their operating costs they will lay off workers causing unemployment and their
own profits will decrease. Silt deposited by floods adds nutrients to the flooded soil. Trees die as
their submerged roots can’t absorb oxygen. There could be a decline in tourism, rebuilding costs
could soar etc.
➢ Solution:
❖ Dams could be built to contain and regulate the flow of water and prevent flash floods. Advanced
warning systems should be installed in flood prone areas to warn people to get out before it’s too
late. Medical and transport facilities be regularly updated and checked. Embankments and levees
should be heightened and strengthened. Also afforestation and re-afforestation projects should be
carried out in Northern Mountains to reduce run-off and thus reducing chances of flash floods.
Mangrove plantations should be protected and allowed to grow, which protect from damaging rise
in tide level during a tsunami. Don’t build in areas where floods are common
Thunderstorm:
➢ Occur in summer (April-May) & post monsoon (Sep-Oct)

➢ Thunderstorms occur in the same fashion as convectional rainfall with the main difference being that the air
here rises very quickly forming cumulonimbus clouds, which are very tall and big.
➢ This is followed by strong winds, lightning and heavy rainfall.
➢ Hailstones may also be formed, when the water vapours are cooled multiple times (to form water first and
then ice).
➢ Destroys roofs of houses & electricity and communication systems
➢ 2A of Sindh in May 1999
➢ Problems increase if relief teams are delayed
➢ Dire need of proper organization of flood monitoring cells, relief teams & proper warning systems
Droughts:
➢ Types:
❖ 4 main
❖ Permanent (crop cultivation isn’t possible without irrigation)
❖ Seasonal (Areas with defined dry & rainy season)
❖ Invisible (water deficiency that lowers crop yields)
❖ Unpredictable (abnormally low rainfall in areas with humid climate)
➢ Causes:
❖ Unreliable monsoon winds
❖ Global Climate
❖ Deforestation
❖ Mismanagement of water resources
❖ Unfair water distribution
❖ Overgrazing
❖ Global Warming
➢ Impacts:
❖ Famine -> Starvation -> Loss of lives
❖ Migration -> Break-up of rural urban set-up -> nomadic lifestyle
❖ Crop failure & death of livestock -> shortage of raw material -> reduced exports & increased imports
-> Devastation of economy
➢ Control:
❖ Water storage Schemes (Afforestation, Reservoirs & irrigational canals)
❖ Use of technology (Desalination and Reclamation of waste water & using drought-resistant seeds)
❖ Planning & management of water resources (Setting priorities in allocation & conversation of water)

Climate

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Climatic Conditions:-

➢ Northern, North-Western & Western Mountains

➢ Entire Indus Plain except coastal areas

➢ S.W Balochistan & S.E Desert

➢ Includes Indus delta, Karachi & whole of Makran Strip

➢ Crop planning is difficult as year to year amount varies

➢ Causes of diversity in temperature in various regions;

Pressure & Winds:

➢ Occur in summer (April-May) & post monsoon (Sep-Oct)

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