By Muhammad Luqman
Upper parts of Pakistan received the first spell of the Monsoon rains on Thursday that helped bring down the mercury level significantly , mainly in the Punjab province.
According to Pakistan Meteorological Department, weak-to-moderate monsoon currents (from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal) are penetrating northeastern parts of the country, and are likely to strengthen during the next few days. A shallow westerly wave had already entered upper parts of the country on Wednesday night.
Under the influence of this weather system, rain-dust-thunderstorm associated with strong gusty winds is expected at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Faisalabad divisions, Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan till Sunday. The same weather system is expected at isolated places in Zhob, Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Multan divisions from Friday evening to Sunday.
More rain-thundershower (few moderate to heavy falls) associated with strong gusty winds is expected at scattered places in Islamabad, upper Punjab (Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Faisalabad divisions), Kashmir from Monday to Thursday, while at isolated places in DG Khan division, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu and DI Khan divisions)
“Pakistan is likely to receive near to normal monsoon rains this year; The rains may be erratic in nature,” says Director General, PMD, Muhammad Riaz.
He said that the upper parts of the country may receive above normal rains while the lower parts are expected to have below normal downpour.
