The climate of Lahore features a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh) with rainy, long and extremely hot summers, dry and warm winters, a monsoon and dust storms. The weather of Lahore is extreme during the months of May, June and July, when the temperatures soar to 40–48 °C (104–118 °F).From late June till August, the monsoon seasons starts, with heavy rainfall throughout the province. The city’s highest maximum temperature was 48.3 °C (118.9 °F) recorded on May 30, 1944.[1] And 48 °C (118 °F) was recorded on June 9, 2007.[2] The lowest temperature recorded in Lahore is −1.1 °C (30.0 °F) recorded on 13 January 1967.[3] The highest rainfall in the city recorded during 24 hours is 221 millimetres (8.7 in), which occurred on 13 August 2008.[4]
Climate data for Lahore (1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Average high °C (°F) | 19.8 (67.6) |
22.0 (71.6) |
27.1 (80.8) |
33.9 (93.0) |
38.6 (101.5) |
40.4 (104.7) |
36.1 (97.0) |
35.0 (95.0) |
35.0 (95.0) |
32.9 (91.2) |
27.4 (81.3) |
21.6 (70.9) |
30.8 (87.4) |
Average low °C (°F) | 5.9 (42.6) |
8.9 (48.0) |
14.0 (57.2) |
19.6 (67.3) |
23.7 (74.7) |
27.4 (81.3) |
26.9 (80.4) |
26.4 (79.5) |
24.4 (75.9) |
18.2 (64.8) |
11.6 (52.9) |
6.8 (44.2) |
17.8 (64.0) |
Rainfall mm (inches) | 23.0 (0.906) |
28.6 (1.126) |
41.2 (1.622) |
19.7 (0.776) |
22.4 (0.882) |
36.3 (1.429) |
202.1 (7.957) |
163.9 (6.453) |
61.1 (2.406) |
12.4 (0.488) |
4.2 (0.165) |
13.9 (0.547) |
628.8 (24.756) |
Sunshine hours | 220.1 | 217.5 | 244.9 | 276.0 | 306.9 | 270.0 | 226.3 | 235.6 | 267.0 | 260.4 | 261.0 | 223.2 | 3,008.9 |
Source: Hong Kong Observatory[5] |
Contents |
The monsoon and the Western Disturbance are the two main factors that alter the weather over Lahore; otherwise, Continental air prevails for rest of the seasons. Following are the main factors that influence the weather over Lahore.
The average monsoon rainfall of Lahore is 470.1 millimetres (18.51 in).[6] The monsoon rains commence from the last week of June and persist till the end of September. In 2009, Lahore saw below normal monsoon rainfalls due to the presence of El-Nino over pakistan.[7] The following is the Monsoon rainfall in Lahore since 2007 based on data from the Pakistan Meteorological Department.[8]
Lahore mainly receives its rainfall during the Monsoon season from June till September, and in winter season from December till February. The highest ever annual rainfall in Lahore was recorded in 1955 when 1,317.5 millimetres (51.87 in) of rainfall was recorded.[27] Lahore received below normal rains in 2009, and normal rains in 2007 and 2010. The following is the Annual rainfall in Lahore since 2007 based on data from the Pakistan Meteorological Department.[28]
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