Much-needed breather: Thundershowers likely to descend on twin cities

After the rain spell, temperatures likely to drop from 41-43 degrees centigrade to around 36.

ISLAMABAD: Residents of the twin cities will be breathing a sigh of (cool) relief as the mercury level is expected to drop by six degrees centigrade this week, with the Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) forecasting a short spell of rain by Wednesday.

According to PMD, hot and humid weather is expected in most parts of the country while a thundershower with gusty winds is expected at isolated places in Rawalpindi, D.G. Khan divisions and Islamabad during the next 24 hours.

The prevailing dry spell has increased temperatures to 40-43 degrees in the past week with dust and thunderstorms in isolated areas during evenings.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, PMD meteorologist Rashid Bilal said rainfall is expected to begin in the twin cities from Wednesday and will stretch till Saturday.

Rawalpindi, Islamabad and other parts of central Punjab, such as Gujranwala, Sialkot, and Kashmir, Bannu and Malakand division will experience normal to heavy rainfalls during the upcoming spell. However, floods are not predicted in this specific spell.

The official said after the rain spell temperatures are likely to drop from 41-43 degrees centigrade to around 36.

Bilal said the pattern of hot and humid weather for a few days followed by short rain spells will be the recurring theme this monsoon season, adding that the upper and lower parts of the country will experience below normal rain this season. He explained that this year, a variation in weather — three to four days of a heat wave followed by isolated to heavy rainfalls — has been predicted.

The humid weather conditions have led to three patients being admitted in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences this past week.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 14^th, 2014.