- Pakistan experienced extreme heat, unpredictable rainfall, and catastrophic floods driven by increasing climate change impacts
Pakistan, a country with over a quarter billion people, is one that is extremely vulnerable to climate change. Pakistan, with 25 percent of its population living in poverty, contributes just 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, it experiences increasingly frequent heatwaves, droughts, and catastrophic floods driven by the changing climate.
In the economic survey FY2025, it was recorded that the year 2024 witnessed severe climate phenomena in our country, characterized through extreme heat, unpredictable rainfall, and regional disparities, highlighting the increasing effects of climate change in Pakistan. These climatic anomalies included both elevated rainfall and enhanced temperatures. At the national level, statistics showed that the country received 31 percent more rainfall than usual, amounting to 390.0 mm, and the yearly average temperature increased to 23.52°C, demonstrating a significantly warmer and wetter year on average.
As per the Pakistan Meteorological Department, Sindh and Balochistan emerged as the most climatically extreme regions. Sindh registered a staggering 94 percent rise in annual rainfall and witnessed the hottest day of the year at Mohenjo- Daro with 52.5°C on May 26. Jacobabad marked the warmest month, averaging 46.3°C in May. In addition, the province was also affected by Tropical Cyclone ASNA between August 30th to September 2nd.
As per the government officials Balochistan experienced 82 percent rise in rainfall, but also held the record for the driest place (Nokkundi, 45 mm annually). Our country experienced its warmest night at Sibbi (36°C on May 28-29), along with Turbat being the warmest place with the temperature reaching 36.1°C. Punjab experienced an 18 percent rise in rainfall and registered the wettest day (337 mm) and wettest month (603 mm) at Lahore in August, underlining heavy monsoon occurrence. KPK saw a modest 4 percent increase in rain and registered the coldest day of the year at Malam Jabba (-2.0°C on February 19). In contrast, northern regions faced reduced precipitation, with Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) receiving 12 percent less rain and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 13 percent less. However, Malam Jabba in AJK still emerged as the wettest place in the country with 1789 mm annual rainfall. GB also registered extreme cold, with Kalam hitting -14°C on the coldest night and – 8.6°C as the coldest month’s average in February 2024.
According to the State of Pakistan (SBP) Climate Report, in 2024, the country registered a total national rainfall of 390.0 mm, which was 31 percent above the long-period average of 297.6 mm (1961-2010). This made 2024 the 7th wettest year in the past 64 years, with the all time record remaining 526.9 mm, set in 2022. The year began with a severe rainfall deficit in January, recording only 5.4 mm, which was 72 percent below average (standard: 18.9 mm), with a similar large deficiency observed across multiple regions. However, situations enhanced significantly in the following two months. In February 2024, national area-weighted rainfall reached 30.6 mm, marking a 23 percent increase above the average. This upward trend continued in March, with the same area-weighted total of 30.6 mm, but with a 47 percent surplus. April 2024 reached out as the wettest April since 1961, with 59.3 mm of rain, 164 percent above average, surpassing the previous April record of 55.8 mm set in 1983.
In contrast, May 2024 saw a sharp fall, receiving only 5.0 mm of rain, 66 percent below average, making it the second driest (following 3.6 mm in 1988) May on record. June 2024 brought 18.2 mm of rain, a near-average amount with a slight positive anomaly of 2 percent. The monsoon began in July, delivering 57.5 mm, which was also near average but slightly below normal by percent The monsoon peaked in August, which saw 138.9 mm of rainfall (a 147 percent increase) making it the second wettest (after the 193.2 mm recorded in 2022) August in the past 64 years. However, September 2024, reversed the trend with a 30 percent decrease in rainfall (receiving only 15.0 mm). October followed with 7.4 mm, which was slightly below average by 8 percent, while November was near normal (with 5.6 mm), showing a positive anomaly of 8 percent. Finally, December 2024 ended the year on a dry note, recording just 1.6 mm of rainfall, which was 88 percent below average, ranking it as the 10th driest December in the last 64 years.
Sources presently recorded that the South Asian monsoon is a vital part of life for 2 billion people. These rains from June to September are essential for the region’s crops and for reducing its searing heat. However, for the second time in three years, record-breaking rains in the Himalayas have made the monsoon deadly for millions of people across Pakistan.
Unluckily, floods pouring out of the Himalayas into Pakistan in August and September killed a thousand people and forced the evacuation of 2.5 million people, mostly poor villagers. Greater than 4,000 villages were inundated. Pakistan’s geography makes it a hotspot for increases in extreme rainfall, putting it on the front line of climate change. Global warming causes the atmosphere to be able hold more moisture. Monsoon storms now form in a warmer atmosphere that holds and dumps far more moisture in short bursts, causing flash floods and landslides. In addition, record high temperatures are also occurring in parts of the country.
No doubt, the government of Pakistan is struggling to upgrade its infrastructure and implement other initiatives to mitigate the effects of climate change and continues to seek help from international sources. It is a case study in how vulnerable many of the world’s poorest people are to the climate change that now seems increasingly unstoppable.