Lahore - Geography and Climate

Geography and Climate

Lying between 31°15′—31°45′ N and 74°01′—74°39′ E, Lahore is bounded on the north and west by the Sheikhupura District, on the east by Wagah, and on the south by Kasur District. The Ravi River flows on the northern side of Lahore. Lahore city covers a total land area of 404 km² and is still growing.

Lahore features a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh)(from another source: Composite monsoon climate) 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. And 48 °C (118 °F) was recorded on June 10, 2007. At the time the meteorological office recorded this official temperature in the shade, it reported a heat index in direct sunlight of 55 °C (131 °F). The lowest temperature recorded in Lahore is −1 °C (30 °F) recorded on 13 January 1967. The highest rainfall in the city recorded during 24 hours is 221 millimetres (8.7 in), which occurred on 13 August 2008. The city on 26 February 2011, received heavy rain and hailstorm measuring 4.5 millimetres, which carpeted several roads and sidewalks with measurable hail for the first time in the climatic history of Lahore.