Quetta, Pakistan features a continental semi-arid climate with a large variation between summer and winter temperatures.
[1] Summer starts in late May and continues until early September with average temperatures ranging from 24 °C (75 °F) to 26 °C (79 °F).
Spring starts in early April and ends in late May, with average temperatures close to 15 °C (59 °F).
The weather in February is somewhat similar to that of January: generally cold, with Western Disturbance causing rains and snowfall.
The likelihood of thunderstorms is very high during the month, with the possibility of some incredible thunders in the city followed by heavy downpour.
[1] A western wave entered Balochistan on 2 March 2019 which caused flash flooding in the province including Quetta the city which received 137 mm of rain along with snowfall recorded 4 cm.
[13] In 2024, strong western disturbances continued to affect North Balochistan including Quetta which lead to a new highest monthly rainfall record of 188.6mm.
Since Quetta lies partially outside the belt of the monsoon, the effect thereof is seldom visible in the city.
[1] and the highest rainfall for this month is 121.8 millimetres (4.80 in) in 1978;[1] On 14 July 2006 a severe dust storm hit the Quetta valley for three consecutive days, reducing visibility to less than a kilometer.
[17] Again on 23 July 2007, another dust storm enveloped the city and its surroundings, reducing visibility to less than a kilometer but also affected both air and vehicle traffic.
[1] The heaviest monthly rainfall recorded was 283.1 millimetres (11.15 in) in 2022,[1] when it continuously rained heavily for 30 hours on 25 and 26 of the month cutting off the city from the rest of the country, the whole city went into total blackout and was left in the rain without proper gas supply.
The heavy rainfall resulted in major flooding taking down with it multiple lives and their precious homes and livestock.
City roads were submerged under rain water caused severe traffic jams.
Meanwhile, 220 kV transmission line tripped due to heavy rain and storm, disrupting electricity to 17 districts of the province including Quetta.
Winter begins in November, as the Western Disturbance returns with rain and possibly snow over the mountains.
[1] On 14 November 2008, the minimum temperature recorded was −8 °C (18 °F) as the Quetta valley, and major parts of Balochistan, were in the grip of a cold front for several days.
Pakistan Meteorological Department had forecasted in their Weather Advisory that during the coming period, mercury level may reach −12 °C (10 °F).
[24][25] However at the peak of the severe cold wave the temperature dropped to −9 °C (16 °F) for consecutive four days, from 9 to 12 December 2010.
[1] The city mainly receives rain from the west during the winter season, from November till the end of March.
In 2003, the city received light snowfall of 6 inches for the first time since the drought hit the province in 1998.
In 2008 Quetta received normal rains with snow falling two times in January and February.
In 2009 Quetta received the heaviest annual rainfall since 2000, a total of 320.4 millimetres (12.61 in) of rain fell with no snow was recorded except the traces of snowfall in February.
The La-Nina phenomena was responsible for below normal rains Balochistan including Quetta city from 1998, after diminishing in December 2000 it was reappeared, and lasted till March 2001 after that it faded gradually in the next few months.
At least 1.2 million people in Balochistan were affected by drought, and over 100 died, mostly because of dehydration, according to the government sources.