Pakistan lies in the temperate zone. The climate is generally arid, characterized by the extreme southwestern part of the country where Gwadar and Karachi are the main port cities. Though cyclones are rare in the Arabian sea which a part of North Indian Ocean, cyclones that form in this sea mostly move towards Western India rather than Pakistan. [1] Cyclones in the Arabian sea form mostly from May till June and then from September till October, monsoon season plays a vital role for the formation of cyclone in this basin. Tropical storms that hit Pakistan are mostly remnants by the time reach Pakistan or make landfall in south eastern Sindh which is not very much populated they rarely move towards the Balochistan coast.
Pakistan has a 1,046-kilometre (650 mi) coastline along the Arabian Sea [2] and the Gulf of Oman in the extreme south western part of the country where Gwadar is the main port city. Though cyclones are rare in the Arabian sea which is a part of North Indian Ocean, cyclones that form in this sea mostly move towardsWestern India rather than Pakistan. [1] Cyclones in the Arabian sea form mostly from May till June and then from September till October, monsoon season plays a vital role for the formation of cyclone in this basin. [3]
Each year before the onset of monsoon that is 15 April to 15 July and also after its withdrawal that is 15 September to 15 December, there is always a distinct possibility of the cyclonic storm to develop in the north Arabian Sea. [4] There is a 98 per cent chance of cyclones to turn towards the Indian state of Gujarat, one per cent chance of moving towards the Gulf and one per cent chance of moving towards the Pakistani coast. [5]
There is only one tropical cyclone warning centre in Pakistan, which is in Karachi in Sindh province. [6]
Cyclones mostly hit the Sindh coast than the Balochistan coast in Pakistan. During the last 125 years a number of cyclonic storms have struck Pakistan's coastal areas. The years involved were 1895, 1902, 1907, 1944, 1948, 1964, 1985, 1999, 2007 and 2010. Other cyclones that are listed below caused rains as remnants. [4]
Month | Number of storms |
---|---|
May | |
June | |
July | |
September | |
October | |
November |
Period | Number of storms |
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1800s | |
1900–49 | |
1950s | |
196 | |
1970s | |
1980s | |
1990s | |
2000s | |
2010s | |
2020s |
The 1959 Pacific typhoon season was regarded as one of the most devastating years for Pacific typhoons on record, with China, Japan and South Korea sustaining catastrophic losses. It was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. The season had no official bounds, but tropical cyclones in the Western Pacific Ocean normally develop between May and October.
Karachi has a tropical semi arid climate, albeit a moderate version of this climate, influenced by monsoons. Karachi has a tropical climate, despite being located slightly above the Tropic of Cancer. It is situated in the monsoon region of Pakistan. It is located on the coast bordering the Arabian Sea, and as a result, has a relatively mild climate. However, in more recent years, rainfall has become more abundant, with annual rainfall projected to reach over 500 mm by 2100. For this reason, the city may be classed as almost semi-arid (BSh), since it has a mild climate with a short but defined wet season, along with a lengthy dry season.
The 2007 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was one of the most active North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons on record. The North Indian Ocean cyclone season has no official bounds, but cyclones tend to form between April and December, with peaks in May and November. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northern Indian Ocean.
Deep Depression BOB 03 and Cyclonic Storm Yemyin were a pair of deadly tropical cyclones that made landfalls on India and Pakistan in June 2007. The Pakistan Meteorological Department referred to both as Tropical Cyclone 03B, naming it "Tropical Cyclone Yemyin". At the time, the official WMO body responsible for tropical cyclones in the Arabian Sea, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), did not name them. However, the IMD reassessed the second system to have reached cyclonic storm strength, and retroactively named it Yemyin.
The 2003 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was the last season that tropical cyclones were not publicly labeled by India Meteorological Department (IMD). Also was mostly focused in the Bay of Bengal, where six of the seven depressions developed. The remaining system was a tropical cyclone that developed in the Arabian Sea in November, which was also the only system that did not affect land. There were three cyclonic storms, which was below the average of 4–6. Only one storm formed before the start of the monsoon season in June, although it was also the most notable. On May 10, a depression formed in the central Bay of Bengal, and within a few days became a very severe cyclonic storm. After it stalled, it drew moisture from the southwest to produce severe flooding across Sri Lanka, killing 254 people and becoming the worst floods there since 1947. Damage on the island totaled $135 million (2003 USD). The storm eventually made landfall in Myanmar on May 19. It is possible that the storm contributed to a deadly heat wave in India due to shifting air currents.
The 2001 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was fairly quiet, although activity was evenly spread between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. There were six depressions tracked by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which is the official Regional Specialized Meteorological Center for the northern Indian Ocean. The agency also tracked four cyclonic storms, which have maximum winds of at least 65 km/h (40 mph) sustained over 3 minutes. The American-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) tracked an additional storm – Tropical Storm Vamei – which crossed over from the South China Sea at a record-low latitude.
Pakistan's climate varies from a continental type of climate in the north (Gilgit-Baltistan,Kashmir,KPK), a mountainous dry climate in the west (Baluchistan), a wet climate in the East (Punjab) an arid climate in the Thar Desert, to a tropical climate in the southeast (Sindh), characterized by extreme variations in temperature, both seasonally and daily, because it is located on a great landmass barely north of the Tropic of Cancer.
The 1992–93 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season lasted longer than normal, with the first storm Aviona forming on September 27 and the final storm Konita not dissipating until May 7. It was an above-average season, with four tropical cyclones – the equivalent of a minimal hurricane – along with six tropical storms, one subtropical depression, and several depressions including one that was named. The basin is defined as the area west of 90°E and south of the Equator in the Indian Ocean, which includes the waters around Madagascar westward to the east coast of Africa. Tropical cyclones in this basin are monitored by the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre in Réunion (MFR), as well as by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC).
The 1983–84 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season featured above normal activity and several deadly storms. There was steady storm activity from December through April due to favorable conditions, such as warm sea surface temperatures and an active monsoon. The first named storm – Andry – was tied for the strongest with Bakoly, Jaminy, and Kamisy. Cyclone Andry passed near Agaléga island within Mauritius, damaging or destroying every building there and killing one person. It later struck Madagascar, the first of three storms to strike the nation within two months, which collectively caused $25 million in damage and 42 deaths. The third of these storms, Tropical Storm Domoina, caused deadly flooding in southeastern Africa that killed 242 people and caused $199 million in damage. The storm destroyed more than 50 small dams in Madagascar and caused the worst flooding in Swaziland in 20 years. In addition three of the first storms affecting Madagascar, Cyclone Bakoly in December left $21 million in damage on Mauritius.
Severe Cyclonic Storm Onil was the first tropical cyclone to be named in the northern Indian Ocean. Forming out of an area of convection several hundred kilometres southwest of India on October 1 2004, Cyclone Onil quickly attained its peak intensity on October 2 with winds of 100 km/h (60 mph) and a barometric pressure of 990 mbar. However, dry air quickly entered the system, causing it to rapidly weaken to a depression just off the coast of Gujarat, India. Over the following several days, the system took a slow, erratic track towards the south-southeast. After turning northeastward, the system made landfall near Porbandar on October 10 and dissipated shortly thereafter.
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Phet was a powerful tropical cyclone that made landfall on Oman, Western India, and Pakistan. The third named cyclone of the 2010 cyclone season, Phet developed in the Arabian Sea on May 31 to the west of India. With conducive environmental conditions, the storm intensified to reach peak sustained winds of 155 km/h (95 mph) on June 2, based on analysis by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). On the next day, Phet dropped heavy rainfall while moving across eastern Oman, with a peak of 603 mm (23.7 in) in Qurayyat. The rains flooded arid areas and collected into wadis – normally dry river beds. Thousands of homes were wrecked across Oman. There were 24 fatalities in the country, and damage was estimated at US$780 million.
The 1999 Pakistan cyclone was a deadly tropical cyclone that brought further devastation to a region struck by a powerful storm nearly a year earlier. It caused flooding and landslides and destroyed many villages. The disaster killed over 6,000 people and affected more than 2 million.
The climate of Gwadar is located at 0 metres (0 ft)–300 metres (984 ft) meters above sea level and features a dry and hot arid climate. The oceanic influence keeps the temperature lower than that in the summer and higher in winter. The mean temperature in the hottest month of June remains between 31 °C (88 °F) and 32 °C (90 °F). The mean temperature in the coldest month of January varies from 18 °C (64 °F) to 19 °C (66 °F). The uniformity of temperature is a unique characteristic of the coastal region in Balochistan. Occasionally, winds moving down the Balochistan plateau bring cold spells, otherwise the winter is pleasant. In Gwadar, winter is shorter than summer. Gwadar's weather is identical to that of the Middle East as most rain occurs from December till January. The highest rainfall of 227 millimetres (8.9 in) in 24 hours was recorded on 6 June 2010.
The 1940 Pacific typhoon season marked an interruption in meteorological records in both the Philippines and Hong Kong due to the start of World War II. There were 43 reported tropical cyclones, including 27 that attained typhoon status. The first storm was observed in February, and the first typhoon formed two months later, killing three people along Mindanao. Several storms formed in June and July, including reports of a typhoon in the newspapers that killed 52 in South Korea, and another typhoon reported in newspapers that killed one person on Samar after dropping heavy rainfall. The strongest typhoon of the season originated in July and attained a minimum pressure of 927 mbar (27.4 inHg), as reported by a ship northeast of the Philippines.
In 1900, 23 tropical cyclones were observed in the western Pacific Ocean, north of the equator and west of the International Date Line. In that region of the world, cyclones that attain maximum sustained winds of at least 118 km/h (73 mph) are known as typhoons. Of the 23 storms, 13 were tracked by the Hong Kong Observatory. Activity occurred from January to December, although the majority of the storms formed from June to November.
In 1927, there were 27 tropical cyclones observed in the western Pacific Ocean, north of the equator and west of the 180th meridian. Many of these storms affected the Philippines, China, and Japan, collectively leaving 15,952 fatalities. The strongest storm of the year also had the lowest barometric pressure recorded in a tropical cyclone worldwide at the time. On August 18, the Dutch steamship Sapoeroea recorded a barometric pressure of 886.7 millibar about 740 kilometres (460 miles) east of Luzon. This typhoon later struck near Hong Kong, where it halted transportation, wrecked buildings, and killed 15 people.
There were 30 tropical cyclones in the western Pacific Ocean in 1931, including 19 typhoons, as well as one that developed in December of the previous year. The most significant typhoon was one that struck eastern China near Shanghai in the midst of the country's worst floods on record; heavy rainfall caused levees to collapse along the Grand Canal, killing an estimated 300,000 people, including about 2,000 people overnight in the city of Gaoyou.
This article encompasses the 1890s Pacific typhoon seasons.
This article encompasses the 1890s North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons.