Sindh: Encyclopedia II - Sindh - Climate

Sindh - Climate

A subtropical region, Sindh is hot in the summer and cold in winter. Temperatures frequently rise above 46 celsius (115 fahrenheit ) between May and August, and the minimum average temperature of 2 celsius (36 fahrenheit) occurs during December and January. The annual rainfall averages about seven inches, falling mainly during July and August.The southwesterly monsoon wind begins to blow in mid-February and continues until the end of Semptember, whereas the cool northerly wind blows during te winter months from October to January.

Sindh is said to be between the two monsoons - the southwest from the Indian Ocean and the Northeast or the retreating monsoon, deflected towards it by Himalayan mountains - and escapes the influence of both. The average rainfall in Sindh is only 6 to 7 inches per year. But what is lost by the region during the two seasons is, however, regained for it by the Indus, in the form of inundation, caused twice a year, by the spring and summer melting of Himalyan snow and by rainfall in the monsoon season. It should be noted that these natural patterns have since been somewhat changed due to man-made dams and barrages that have been constructed on Sindhu Darya.

Climatically, Sindh is divided in three sections - Siro (Upper section centered at Jacobabad), Wicholo (Middle section centered at Hyderabad), and Lar (Lower section centered at Karachi). In Upper Sindh, the thermal equator passes through Sindh. The highest temperature recorded was 127 degrees fahrenheit in 1919. The air is generally very dry. In winter frost is common.

In Middle Sindh, average monsoon wind speed is 11 miles/hour in June. Temperature is lower than Upper Sindh but higher than the Lower Sindh. Dry hot days and cool nights are summer characteristics. Maximum temperature reaches 110-112 degree fahrenheit The Lower Sindh is effected by the coastline and is damper, humid, Soth-western winds in summer and North Eastern winds in winter and generally the climate is maritime with rainfall little less than the middle Sindh. The maximum temperature reaches 95-100 degrees fahrenheit. In the Kirthar range at 6,000 feet and higher on the Gorakhnath and other peaks in Dadu district, temperatures near freezing have been recorded and brief snow fall is received in winters.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Climate", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki