Climate Musakhel
The climate of Musakhel, located 1,200-2,400 meters above sea level, is semi-arid. It can be placed in the "warm summer and mild winter" temperature region. The summer is hot with mean temperatures ranging from 21°C to 32° C. June is the hottest month when maximum temperature does exceed 32° C and occasionally rises above 38° C. Summer is longer than winter and lasts for about 7 months (April-October). In winter the temperature drops below 21°C, but even in the coolest month (January) the mean monthly temperature does not drop below 10° C. However, the mercury may touch the freezing point during cold spells.
| Source: | Pakistan Meteorological Department, Karachi |
The total annual rainfall ranges between 325 and 750 mm, most of which takes place in summer due to monsoon. The potential evaporation exceeds precipitation but is less than two times as great. Therefore the area is semi-arid with quite some vegetation. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, total annual precipitation in 1995 was 429.7 mm at Barkhan. By the extent of vegetation in Musakhel it can be assumed that the level of precipitation here is no less than that in Barkhan.
Annual Mean Rainfall
To date no meteorological station has been established in Musakhel by the Pakistan Meteorological Department. Barkhan is a neighbour district of Musakhel and has similar geographic characteristics, therefore, data from Barkhan station have been given here just to have an idea of the situation. In 1993 the total annual rainfall in Barkhan district was 512.5 mm which increased to 601.6 mm in 1994 and again decreased to 429.7 mm in 1995. It may be assumed that Musakhel does have approximately equivalent rainfall levels. Summer rainfall provides water for kharif crops, i.e., jowar, maize, moong, mash, and fodder. Sometimes traffic across the streams is discontinued due to flood waters resulting from rainfall.
| Source: | Pakistan Meteorological Department, Karachi |
Annual Mean Temperature
At Barkhan station of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, mid summer mean maximum temperature (in June) varied slightly in the years 1993-1995 (from 37.1
° C to 38.8° C) while mid summer mean minimum temperature ranged from 23.8° C to 25.1° C. The mid winter mean maximum temperature (in January) in these three years was between 14.9° C and 16.0° C and mean minimum temperature in mid winter remained between 3.8° C and 5.0° C (see Annex 3 for details).The data on temperature seem consistent through the years as the annual mean maximum temperature for the years 1993-95 ranged from 27.6
° C to 28.3° C. Similarly annual mean minimum temperature for these three years varied slightly, from 15.3° C to 15.9° C. This mean temperature data validates the climatic categorisation of the district as "warm summer and mild winter" because mean monthly temperature in summer remains below 32° C and in winter it ranges between 10.3° C and 18.4° C. These temperatures are within the temperature ranges for "warm summer and mild winter" region.