KARACHl: The people of Karachi experienced a hot and dry day on Wednesday as the mercury shot to 40 degrees Celsius.

According to the website of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, Karachi was the third hottest place in the country during the last 24 hours after Dalbandin and Lasbella, where the maximum temperatures were 43 and 42 degrees Celsius, respectively.

A Met official said a change in direction of wind from north-easterly to north-westerly pushed the mercury on the scale up by three degrees, as the maximum temperature recorded in Karachi on Tuesday was 37 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperature recorded in the city on Wednesday was 29 degrees Celsius.

Humidity, a measure of the amount of moisture in the air, was 31 per cent.

The Met official forecast partly cloudy weather for Karachi on Thursday with chances of light rain/thundershower.

However, the maximum temperature on Thursday is expected to range between 39 and 41 degrees Celsius.