Rawalpindi features a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cwa) with hot summers, and cool to cold winters.
Rawalpindi's weather has historically been known to change rather quickly due to its proximity to Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range.
Record rainfall was experienced in the year 2013 at a massive 1,988 millimetres (78.3 in) mostly due to an unusually wet monsoon season.
On a typical day, the city hosts breezy afternoons (30 kilometres per hour (19 mph)+), but usually calm to light breeze (Beaufort scale) wind conditions are observed after midnight.
Western Disturbance, Monsoon and localized convection currents during the summers are responsible for changing weather conditions in Rawalpindi.
[4] Some of the strongest thunderstorms in the country occur here either accompanied by dusty squalls, microbursts, cloudburst and sometimes even funnel clouds.
On 13 October 2006, wind gusts from a powerful thunderstorm reported by Pakistan Meteorological Department to have reached 167 kilometres per hour (104 mph).
[citation needed] Every month in Rawalpindi is marked by its own unique characteristics, conditions and weather pattern.
Western Disturbance brings cloudy days, rain and sometimes thunderstorms, which are essential for breaking long dry spells in the city experienced during this cool month.
Strong winds blow from the west during most clear days, but nights are calm with cool to cold temperatures.
In 2013, record rainfall of 306.1 millimetres (12.05 in) and a thunderstorms breakout was experienced from three western disturbances that caused bizarre conditions of frequent hailstorms and 93 kilometres per hour (58 mph) wind gusts.
Observations demonstrate that cold weather (below zero temperature) is not experienced after halfway through the month as plantation season officially begins during the last fortnight.
A few strong thunderstorms develop every year during this month and sometimes these can accompanied by dust storms and gusts near hurricane force at 120 kilometres per hour (75 mph).
Typically, late April sees a sharp rise in both the day and night time temperatures.
Moreover, thunderstorms often cause horrid dust storms that become a frequent occurrence as the weather becomes drier, transitioning into summer.
Nevertheless, night time temperatures during heat waves could remain well above average with the warmest low of 28.0 °C (82.4 °F) recorded in 2013.
Thunderstorms that occur are typically strong, accompany heavy dust with blinding visibility and wind speed in excess of 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph) in some storms.
These powerful thunderstorms develop as a result of moist warm monsoon winds colliding with cool dry western disturbance creating monstrous thunderstorms accompanied with powerful microburst that cause extensive damage to billboards, pylons, roofs, crops and trees.
[2] Usually, late June welcomes the monsoon season which causes dew point to rise, and wind direction shifts from west to southeast.
Relative humidity increases from these southeasterly winds that causes great discomfort without air conditioning as head indices (feels like) can rise in excess of 50 °C (122 °F).
August is a hot and humid month, however, thunderstorm activity reaches its peak primarily due to the monsoon.
However, Western Disturbance interact more with the monsoons during this month resulting in strong thunderstorm activity and heavy wind and rain.
On 14 September 2011, a severe thunderstorm struck Rawalpindi with a maximum gust of 85 knots (157 km/h) and caused torrential downpour recording a total of 105 millimetres (4.1 in) in a matter of couple of hours.
However, in 2014, this monthly rainfall record shattered completely by a low air pressure system that moved and stalled over the North East Punjab region causing cloud burst conditions in some areas between 3 and 5 September.
This month receives the greatest amount of sunshine hours as overcast days during both October and November are very rare.
Moreover, November demonstrates a continuation of very similar weather pattern observed in October, but with significantly cooler day and night temperatures.
During the least active weather periods, lack of rainfall, low wind speeds and cool temperatures during the month results in foggy/smoggy conditions during early morning times.
Like most major cities of Pakistan, Rawalpindi not only lack vegetation, but experiences a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect.
Urban Sprawl and lack of adequate vegetation has witnessed a rise in both day and especially night temperatures.
Not long ago (up until the late 1990s), Rawalpindi was merely 0.5 to maximum 1 degree Celsius warmer than its twin city, Islamabad.