Pakistan temperatures are poised to reach scorching heat of 50 degrees Celsius this week, potentially taking the country perilously close to shattering the world record for the highest April temperature ever.
Last weekend, central and southern Pakistan already witnessed hot conditions, with the temperature rising as high as 48°C. Further increase is forecasted until Wednesday, especially in areas such as Nawabshah, which may break the world record in April set in 2018 at 50°C, The Washington Post published.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department released a warning on a severe heatwave for April 26 to April 30 and advised people to exercise caution.
Pakistan is not the only one fighting extreme heat. At least 21 countries are expected to experience temperatures higher than 110 degrees Fahrenheit (about 43°C) this week, ranging from Iran to India, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Oman, and others in Africa and the Middle East.
The present forecast, based on the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model widely regarded as highly accurate predicts that Pakistan could reach 49°C by Wednesday and Thursday. That said, the same model underforecast last weekend’s heat by 2 to 3 degrees, and thus the possibility of the actual temperature reaching or possibly even breaking 50°C cannot be ruled out.
Heat to Spread Across Asia
Later in the week, this suffocating heat mass will move eastward into China. Meanwhile, Central Asia will also experience a scorcher, as Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan prepare for temperatures in excess of 38°C courtesy of a new wave of hot air.
April 2025 Among the Warmest on Record
April 2025 is turning out to be extremely hot globally. Based on global temperature records, 63% of the planet has seen above-average temperatures this month. Warmer-than-average conditions have so far impacted 116 nations, while just 39 have seen cooler-than-average weather.
These records are in line with the continuing trend of a fast-heating climate. Indeed, the first quarter of 2025 has been the second-warmest on record globally after 2024 despite the transition from the warming El Niño phase to the generally cooler La Niña.
