Climate of Islamabad
Islamabad features a typical version of a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers accompanied by a monsoon season followed by fairly cold winters. The hottest months are from May to July, where average highs routinely exceed 38 °C (100.4 °F). The monsoon season is from July through September, with heavy rainfalls and evening thunderstorms. Winters are from October to March with temperatures variable by location. In the city, temperatures vary from cold to mild, routinely dropping below zero. In the hills there is sparse snowfall. The weather ranges from a minimum of 3.9 °C (39.0 °F) in January to a maximum of 46.1 °C (115.0 °F) in June.[1] The average low is 2 °C (35.6 °F) in January, while the average high is 40 °C (104.0 °F) in June.[2] The highest temperature recorded was 48 °C (118.4 °F) in June, while the lowest temperature was −4 °C (24.8 °F) in January.[3] On 23 July 2001, Islamabad received a record breaking 620 mm of rainfall in 10 hours. It was the heaviest rainfall in Islamabad in the past 100 years.[4][5]
| Climate data for Islamabad (1991-2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 25.0 (77.0) |
30.0 (86.0) |
37.0 (98.6) |
44.0 (111.2) |
45.6 (114.1) |
48.6 (119.5) |
45.0 (113.0) |
42.0 (107.6) |
38.1 (100.6) |
38.0 (100.4) |
32.2 (90.0) |
28.3 (82.9) |
48.6 (119.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 17.7 (63.9) |
20.0 (68.0) |
24.8 (76.6) |
30.6 (87.1) |
36.1 (97.0) |
38.3 (100.9) |
35.4 (95.7) |
33.9 (93.0) |
33.4 (92.1) |
30.9 (87.6) |
25.4 (77.7) |
20.4 (68.7) |
28.9 (84.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 10.7 (51.3) |
13.4 (56.1) |
18.1 (64.6) |
23.6 (74.5) |
28.7 (83.7) |
31.4 (88.5) |
30.1 (86.2) |
29.1 (84.4) |
27.6 (81.7) |
23.3 (73.9) |
17.3 (63.1) |
12.5 (54.5) |
22.2 (71.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 2.2 (36.0) |
6.8 (44.2) |
11.4 (52.5) |
16.6 (61.9) |
21.5 (70.7) |
24.5 (76.1) |
24.9 (76.8) |
24.2 (75.6) |
21.7 (71.1) |
15.6 (60.1) |
9.1 (48.4) |
3.4 (38.1) |
15.2 (59.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −10 (14) |
−8 (18) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
1.6 (34.9) |
5.5 (41.9) |
13 (55) |
15.2 (59.4) |
14.5 (58.1) |
13.3 (55.9) |
5.7 (42.3) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 55.2 (2.17) |
99.5 (3.92) |
180.5 (7.11) |
120.8 (4.76) |
39.9 (1.57) |
78.4 (3.09) |
310.6 (12.23) |
317.0 (12.48) |
135.4 (5.33) |
34.4 (1.35) |
17.7 (0.70) |
25.9 (1.02) |
1,415.3 (55.73) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 4.7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 12.3 | 11.9 | 6.4 | 2.9 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 79.4 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 195.7 | 187.1 | 202.3 | 252.4 | 319.0 | 300.1 | 264.4 | 250.7 | 262.2 | 275.5 | 247.9 | 195 | 2,952.3 |
| Source 1: NOAA (sun, 1961-1990)[6][7] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: PMD (extremes)[8] | |||||||||||||
Monthly break up of climate
The following is the monthly breakup of the weather in Islamabad.
January
January is the coldest month of Islamabad. In January the weather of Islamabad is cold to very cold. Rains in this month is heavy like in other season of the city. Snow and hailstorms are common in this month. Western Disturbance has a great influence in the winter of the city. it produces rains, hail and sometimes heavy snow in the city. The hightest temperature is 30.1 °C (1995) and lowest temperature is -4.9 °C (1967). While the heavyiest rainfall for this month is 166.7 mm (1954).
February
The weather of Islamabad in February is similar to that of January. The weather remains cold and chilly. Western Disturbance cause rains and hailstorms just like in January. The highest temperature ever recorded was 30 °C (1985) and lowest temperature is -2 °C. While the highest rainfall is 268.5 mm (1998).
March
In the month of March the weather starts to get a little bit settle, In march the weather turns little hot making the weather pleasant. Humidity in this month is about 37%. Again Western Disturbance has a effect on the weather. It causes rains with strong winds. Western Disturbance has no timing, it effects the upper and northern parts of Pakistan including Islamabad in every month and season. In this scenario islamabad gets heavy showers and rains in every month including March. The highest temperature is 34.4 °C and the lowest is 0 °C. The highest rainfalll for march is 224.1 mm (1984).
April
The weather pattern of Islamabad in April is identical to that of March. The weather gets hot in this month, the highest temperature recorded was 40.6 °C (2006) and lowest temperature is 5 °C (1994). Humidity remains low in this month about 24%. While the highest rainfall is 264.5mm(1983).
May
In May the weather gets very hot in the city. The highest temperature is 45 °C (1988) and lowest is 10 °C (1997). Humidity gets extremely low in May as compared to other month, which is of 19%. Thunderstorms and scattered rains occur in this month too that give the islamabadis much awaited relief from the scorching sun. The highest rainfall is 115.6 mm (1965)
June
June is the hottest month of Islamabad. Temperatures in this month reach till 48 °C as recorded in 2005, While the lowest temperature is 15.7 °C (1979). Till the first week of June the weather is identical to May. But in the middle of June Pre-Monsoon showers can start that come from South West Monsoon. Again Western Disturbance too can cause heavy showers, which is not a part of monsoon. The highest rainfall for the month of June is 255.0 mm (2008).
July
July is the Annual Monsoon season and the wettest month for Islamabad as well as for whole Pakistan that continues till September. In July Islamabad can see some very Heavy falls of rain accompanied by Strong Thunderstorms and windstorms. These heavy Storms is due to the moisture coming from Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal and sometimes if weatern disturbance interact with them then record rain can be seen. Humidity remains above 65%. The highest temperature in this month is 44.4 °C (1987) and lowest temperature is 17 °C (1966) and the highest rainfall for this month is 743.5 mm (1995). The fastest rain of the city was also recorded in this month when 689.5 mm rain occurred in just 10 hours in 2001.
August
Monsoon rains continue in August as well. The month of August is the most humid month for islamabad. The highest temperature is 42 °C (1987) and the lowest temperature is 17°C (1976). While the hightest rainfall for this month is 645.5 mm (1982).
September
Monsoon rains continue till the Mid-week of September, after that monsoon completely withdraws from the city. Western disturbance cause showers or little drizzle in this month. The hightest temperature is 38.1 °C (1982) and lowest is 13 °C (1994). The highest rains in this month is 279.1 mm (1961).
October
October is the driest month in the city. There is drizzle in this month due to westrly wave. The hightest rainfall for this month is 95 mm (1997). The highest temperature and lowest temperature is 36 °C (1998)and 5 °C (1984) respectively.
November
The first to second weeks of November is identical to October. But after that Cold winds start to enter the city. Some days of November are hot while other cold. Showers or hailstorms occur in this month too. The highest rainfall for this month is 91mm (1959) and the highest and lowest temperature is 32 °C (1999) and 0 °C (1970) respectively.
December
In the month is December the winter finally sets in, while the coldest winter of the city is observed in January, weather becomes quite chilly in December too. Western Diisturbance cause Hail and Snowstorms in this month. The highest rainfall for this month is 177.9 mm (1990). The lowest temperature and highest temperature is -2.8 °C (1984) and 28 °C (1998) respectively.
Monsoon Rainfall for Islamabad
- Area: Islamabad Airport (Rain in mm)
- 2008: 1082 mm
- 2009: 297 mm
- 2010: 531 mm (2010 Monsoon still active)
- Area: Islamabad Zero Point
- 2008: 1027 mm
- 2009: 283 mm
- 2010: 424 mm (2010 Monsoon Still Active)
- Area: Murree
- 2008: 720 mm
- 2009: 668 mm
- 2010: 775 mm (2010 Monsoon Still Active)
Pak Met Office Organization in the city
- Research & Development Islamabad.
- Meteorological Forecasting Offices (mainly for Aviation purposes) Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore.
- Remote sensing, Islamabad,
- Drought, Environmental monitoring & early warning Center Islamabad,
References
- ^ Islamabad (During 1931-2006)
- ^ Country Studies, Climate of Pakistan
- ^ "Average Conditions, Islamabad, Pakistan". Retrieved 2009-09-25.
- ^ "Severe Storms on dated 23 July 2001 Islamabad, Pakistan" (PDF). Abdul Hameed, Director Pakistan Meteorological Department.
- ^ "Weather Log - July 21–31, 2001". National Climatic Data Center. August 6, 2001.
- ^ "Islamabad Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
- ^ "Islamabad Climate Normals 1991–2020". World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ^ "Extremes of Islamabad". Pakistan Meteorological Department. Retrieved February 1, 2015.