Climatic Variability and Linear Trend Models for the Five Major Cities of Pakistan

Abstract

Estimates show that the average temperature of Earth’s near surface air and oceans has raised by 0.74 ± 0.180C during last 100 years. In this work the impact of the same has been explored for major urban areas of Pakistan. For this exploration long-term mean, mean-maximum and mean-minimum temperatures for the period 1961 to 2007 have been studied. The precipitation in the major cities of Pakistan, are also studied. The maximum increase in mean temperature is found to be 0.0570C per year (in Quetta). The minimum increase is found to be 0.0190C per year (in Peshawar). Both these increments are more than the global mean.  An isolated discrepancy is found in mean maximum temperature of Lahore but the same can be explained in terms of heavy and prolonged monsoon rains. Moreover, precipitation in Karachi is found to be decreasing that needs to be further explored.