List of extreme weather records in Pakistan

Temperature is measured, as standard, at 1.2 meters above ground, and out of direct sunlight (hence the term x degrees "in the shade").

In Pakistan, heat waves can occur at any time between April and September; the most powerful ones occur in May and June. Areas of southern Pakistan often experience temperatures above 50 °C (122 °F). The most deadly heat wave in Pakistan's history was the record-breaking heat wave of May 2010. Heat spreads throughout the north-central part of the country, including the Punjab and KPK.

A severe heat wave with temperatures as high as 50 °C (122 °F) hit Pakistan, especially its southern areas, in April 2017. This heat wave broke the old temperature records of many cities in the country for the month of April. Larkana, Sindh, experienced the highest maximum temperature of 50 °C (122 °F) on 19 April and broke its old record of 48.5 °C (119.3 °F), which was recorded in April 2000. Other cities of the country also broke their old records of highest maximum temperatures in the month of April.^[20]

The hottest temperature ever to be recorded in Asia, and the fourth highest temperature that has ever been recorded in the world, was recorded in Mohenjo-daro, Sindh, at 53.5 °C (128.3 °F). The second hottest temperature ever to be recorded in Asia and the fifth highest temperature ever to be recorded in the world was in Larkana, Sindh at 53 °C (127 °F) on May 26, 2010. Twelve cities in Pakistan saw temperatures that went above 50 °C (122 °F) during the extreme summer heatwave of 2010, which lasted from May 22 to May 31 of that year.^[21] On May 27, temperatures higher than 45 °C (113 °F) hit areas across Pakistan and at least 18 people died as a result.^[22] In addition, during the extreme heatwave season, eleven cities saw their highest-ever recorded temperatures of 50 °C (122 °F) or above, and five cities saw temperatures of 53 °C (127 °F). Eleven cities also saw extreme temperatures of more than 45 °C (113 °F), although they were below 50 °C (122 °F). The previous highest temperature ever recorded for Pakistan and for Asia was on June 12, 1919, at 52.8 °C (127.0 °F); this occurred at Jacobabad.^[8][9]

In northern and western Pakistan, cold waves can occur between October and March. The most powerful cold waves usually occur in December and January. During these cold waves, some areas of northern and western Pakistan often experience temperatures that are below 0 °C. Often, the place most affected by these cold waves is the glacial parts of Gilgit Baltistan, where, in winter, the average temperature remains below -20 °C. The K2 Peak has recorded a wind chill of -65 °C.^[23] The most deadly cold wave in the recent history of Pakistan was the record-breaking cold wave of winter 2020. Temperatures in the hottest places of Pakistan fell below 2 °C or more. Cities that are near the foothills of the Himalayas, including Islamabad, Peshawar, and Lahore, can record temperatures that are below freezing. It is not uncommon for Islamabad to receive snow in strong cold spells; the Khyber Hills, in Peshawar, Hayatabad can also receive light snowfall.

The standard instrument for measuring rain or snowfall is the rain gauge.

Pakistan receives rainfall from both monsoons and western disturbances. The Monsoon season occurs from July to September and brings a heavy downpour across the country, except in western Balochistan. Western disturbances occur from October to May and bring rainfall across the country, with some heavy downpour in northern Pakistan. In June, however, western disturbances occasionally hit the northern parts of the country. Occasionally, pre-monsoon weather can also occur in this month.

In early July, 2022, when the monsoon began, week long periods of rainfall were already affecting Sindh. A low pressure area had developed over the Bay of Bengal, which became a depression, before it hit northern Sindh on 18 August. The depression became stationary over the northern areas of the province, and caused unprecedented, record-breaking rainfall in places such as Larkana, Naushahro Feroze, Kambar Shahdadkot, Khairpur, Jacobabad, Dadu, Nawabshah, Shikarpur until 22 August. Another low pressure area hit the same part of the province on 25 August, and caused levels of rainfall that stretched from heavy to very heavy.

In the first week of September, 2014, an August-like monsoonal period hit the country. This occurred when a very low air pressure system (29") was formed over Kashmir; this then moved eastward into Northern Pakistan. The spell caused torrential rainfall on the first five days of September. This resulted in devastation to life and property. As the last two days of the spell were extremely wet, the River Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, Sutlej and Indus burst their banks.

After severe drought conditions, which occurred in Sindh during the months of July and August, 2012, an intense low-pressure area developed in the Bay of Bengal. This occurred in late August. The low-pressure area moved towards Sindh, causing torrential rains in Upper Sindh. The highest rainfall to be recorded was in Jacobabad, with a record 481 millimetres (18.9 in) in just 7 days, and 441 millimetres (17.4 in) in just 36 hours. In Larkana, 239 millimetres (9.4 in) of rainfall was recorded; 206 millimetres (8.1 in) of rainfall was recorded in Sukkur. Larkana was the worst affected by heavy rainfall.

In the month of July, Pakistan received unusually low monsoon rainfall; however, in August and September, the country received unusually high monsoon rainfall. A strong weather pattern entered Sindh from the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat, in August. It gained strength over time and caused a heavy downpour. The first monsoon spell hit the southern parts of Sindh on 10 August. It produced record breaking, widespread, torrential rainfall, and caused floodig in the district of Badin. The second spell hit on 30 August and lasted until 2 September. In the month of September, four more consecutive spells of monsoon rainfall devastated the southern parts of the province. The first spell of September hit the already inundated parts of the province, on 2 September. Thereafter, the second spell hit on 5 September, the third on 9 September, and the fourth on 12 September 2011. The four spells of monsoon rainfall produced even more devastating torrential rains in the already affected areas of Sindh.

Unprecedented heavy monsoon rains began, in the last week of July 2010, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir regions of Pakistan, which caused floods in Balochistan and Sindh.^[64] The floods that were caused by these monsoon rains, and were forecast to continue into early August, were described as the worst in the last 80 years.^[65] The Pakistan Meteorological Department said that over 200 millimetres (7.9 in) of rain fell over a 24-hour period, in a number of places in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, and that more was expected.^[66] A record-breaking 274 millimetres (10.8 in) of rain fell in Peshawar in 24 hours;^[67] previously 187 millimetres (7.4 in) of rain was recorded in April 2009.^[44] Other record-breaking rains were recorded in Risalpur, Cherat, Saidu Sharif, Mianwali, and Kohat regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pakistan receives snowfall from western disturbances. Between the months of November and February, western disturbances bring snowfall to the more mountainous or hilly areas of Pakistan; the heaviest snowfall occurs in those areas that are farther north, where blizzards are common. In February 2017, at least 14 people were killed and 9 were injured by an avalanche in the Sher Shall area of Chitral district.^[68][69]

Pakistan has seen many floods. The worst, and most destructive, flooding was the recent 2010 Pakistan floods, which swept away 20% of Pakistan's land. The flood was the result of unprecedented monsoon rains, which lasted from 28 July to 31 July 2010. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and North eastern Punjab were badly affected during the monsoon rains, when dams, rivers and lakes overflowed. By mid-August, according to the governmental Federal Flood Commission (FFC), due to the flooding, at least 1,540 people had died; 2,088 people had received injuries; 557,226 houses had been destroyed; and over 6 million people had been displaced.^[74] One month later, the data had been updated to reveal 1,781 deaths, 2,966 people with injuries, and more than 1.89 million homes destroyed.^[75] The flood affected more than 20 million people, and exceeded the combined total of the individuals who were affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.^[76][77] This flood is considered the worst in Pakistan's history, as it affected people of all four provinces, including Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir.^[78] The climate in Pakistan is very unpredictable and extreme, due to its geographical location, and the geography of the country itself, which includes both tropical plains and the world's highest peaks. Monsoon season can be harsh, due to Pakistan's close proximity with the monsoon areas of India, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Myanmar. Floods in the mountainous regions of the country, which cover about 70% of Pakistani land, can experience very dangerous landfalls and avalanches, and the glaciers in the most distant and remote parts of the countries can bring danger to nearby villages.

The 2011 Sindh floods began during the monsoon season in mid-August 2011, resulting from heavy monsoon rains in Sindh, eastern Balochistan, and southern Punjab.^[79] These floods have caused considerable damage: an estimated 270 civilians were killed, and 5.3 million people – as well as 1.2 million homes – were affected. Sindh is a fertile region, and is often called the "breadbasket" of the country; the damage and toll of the floods on the local agrarian economy is said to be extensive. At least 1.7 million acres of arable land has been inundated as a result of the flooding. The flooding has been described as the worst since the 2010 Pakistan floods, which devastated the entire country.^[80] Unprecedented torrential monsoon rains caused severe flooding in 16 districts of Sindh province.^[63]

Other floods that have caused destruction in Pakistan include the flood of 1950, which killed 2,910 people; the flood of 1977, which killed 248 people, in Karachi (according to Pakistan Meteorological Department, 207 millimetres (8.1 in) of rain fell within 24 hours);^[81] the flood of 1992, which killed 1,834 people;^[82] the flood of 1993, which killed 3,083 people across South Asia, of which fifteen were in Pakistan;^[83] the flood of 2003, which killed 178 people; and the flood of 2007, when Cyclone Yemyin submerged lower part of Balochistan Province in sea water, killing 380 people (before that, Cyclone Yemyin killed 213 people in Karachi).

• 2010 Pakistan floods
• 2011 Sindh floods
• 2014 India–Pakistan floods
• 2015 Pakistan heat wave
• Climate of Pakistan
• Drought in Pakistan
• List of floods in Pakistan
• List of weather records
• Tropical cyclones and tornadoes in Pakistan

A. ^{^} Indicates new record. Record-breaking extreme heat wave observed in the plain areas of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan where 50 °C (122 °F) or more was observed in 12 cities between 22 and 27 May 2010. Previous extreme heat wave conditions were observed in 1998, 2002 and 2007.

B. ^{^} Indicates new record. Record-breaking monsoon rains observed during the month of July, 2010 in northeastern Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Azad Kashmir.