Weather and climate

Weather means the atmospheric conditions at any place for a short period of time, which may be a day or a week or a month or so. It is measured in terms of temperature, pressure of wind, humidity and rainfall. These components of weather change and do not remain constant. If we study the weather of a year, it is possible to make an assessment of the general conditions of its weather. The average weather so obtained is called climate.¹⁰

The Hangu valley enjoys fairly good weather almost throughout the year. Summers are bearable and maximum temperature varies from 40 ⁰C to 43 ⁰C, while winters are severely cold and temperature even falls to zero. January is the coldest month with maximum and minimum temperatures of about 18 to 6 ⁰C respectively.¹¹

Summer season generally commences by about June and lasts until the end of the August. These three months and particularly June, July and 1^st 15 days of August are very hot and at times, the weather becomes intolerable. The spring and autumn months are pleasant which run from March to May and from October to November respectively, while the winter starts form December and lasts until March and is cold due to Hangu breez and also due to surrounding heights of Samana, which is situated at a height of 6800 feet, receives snowfall in the months of December and January and the winter months become exceedingly unpleasant.

Monthly table with maximum and minimum temperatures of district Hangu is as follows.

Table: obtained from District Census Report 1998, P.3