KARACHI, Feb 8: While temperatures dropped to below freezing point in some cities and towns of Sindh, a slight change in the wind pattern in the metropolis on Wednesday brought a little respite for the people of Karachi who on Tuesday experienced the coldest day of February for the last 30 years.

An official of the Pakistan Meteorological Department said that very cold weather conditions were prevailing in most parts of Sindh with temperatures recorded at minus two and minus one degrees centigrade in Tando Jan Muhammad and Dadu, respectively. In Larkana, Mithi, Sukkur and Mohenjodaro on Tuesday, the mercury dropped to zero degree centigrade while it was recorded at two degrees centigrade in Hyderabad. “Usually, temperatures do not fall below freezing point in Sindh.

Although this is a unique drop in temperature, there is no available data of record lows as the Met Office has recently established centres in these areas,” said the official.

In Karachi, compared to Tuesday when the city was in the grip of north-westerly (Siberian) winds that were blowing at maximum speed of 26 knots (48.1km) per hour, the wind pattern changed on Wednesday to south-easterly blowing at a speed ranging from eight knots (14.8 kilometres) to 10 knots (18.52 km) per hour.

The Met official said that the minimum temperature recorded on Wednesday was 10 degrees centigrade while the maximum was 23.5 degrees centigrade. Humidity, or the measure of amount of moisture in the air, was recorded at 16 per cent in the day and 28 per cent at around 7pm.

He said that the weather on Thursday was expected to remain cold and dry with the minimum temperature ranging from eight to 10 degrees centigrade.