Pakistan's mean temperature has risen by about 0.95°C since 1981, while night-time temperatures warmed faster than daytime highs and rainfall patterns became increasingly uneven across regions, according to a Pakistan Meteorological Department scientific report led by Chief Meteorologist Dr. Faisal Saeed Syed.
The report, titled 'How the Climate of Pakistan has Changed: Evidence from 45-year Data Record', was prepared by Dr. Faisal Saeed Syed, Bilal Ahmed, Syed Muhammad Zaheer Ud Din, Sajid Ali, and Adeel Sadiq. It analyses meteorological observations of temperature, rainfall, fog, and extreme weather across Pakistan from 1981 to 2025.
"Pakistan is warming, its nights are warming faster than days, and its rainfall has become less dependable rather than simply less abundant," the report said. The assessment found that Pakistan's maximum temperature increased by 0.20°C per decade, minimum temperature by 0.26°C per decade, and mean temperature by 0.21°C per decade during the 45-year period.
These trends indicate that since 1981, maximum temperatures have risen by about 0.90°C, minimum temperatures by around 1.17°C, and the country's average temperature by approximately 0.95°C. The report stated that the faster rise in minimum temperatures meant less night-time relief from heat, particularly in central and southern Punjab, upper Sindh, and Balochistan.