Rain expected in several areas of northern Pakistan

Karachi: Scattered rain-thunderstorm lashed down yesterday on parts of KPK, Islamabad, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, most parts of Punjab and some parts of upper Sindh.

According to Met Dept, continental air is prevailing over most parts of the country. A shallow westerly trough is also prevailing over Kashmir and its adjoining areas and likely to move northeastwards during next 12 hours. During the next 24 hours, mainly dry weather is expected in most parts of the country, however, more rain-thunderstorm is expected at isolated places in Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad/Rawalpindi,Gujranwala, Lahore, Malakand, Hazara divisions.

During the last 24 hours, chief amount of rainfall was recorded as under:

Lahore (A/P) 73, Jehlum 41, Sahiwal 37, Lahore (PBO) 30, Cherat 28, Kohat 27, M.B. Din 25, Pattan, Kakul 23, Malamjabba 22, Bahawalnagar 21, Parachinar 20, Gujranwala, Garhi Dupatta 17, Okara, Rawalakot, Sialkot (A/P) 13, Kotli 12, Sialkot (City), Gujrat 11, Balakot, Joharabad, Murree 09,Peshawar (A/P) 08, Chakwal, D. G Khan, Muzaffarabad, Saidu Sharif 07, Peshawar (City), Barkhan, Kalam, Rawalpindi, Mangla, 06, Shorkot 05 mm.

Rain in mid-april is a joy for people, misery for farmers

LAHORE: Freak rain, heavy at places, and windstorm in the plains of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday threatened the ripened wheat and mango blossoms, dampening the spirits of farmers. Hail stones further worried wheat farmers who took them as bombs affecting their crop they were about to harvest. Strong wind leveled trees at Rahim Yar Khan and other places blowing away mango flowers.

In Lahore and several other cities, rain caused urban flooding and traffic jams. It nevertheless introduced a nip in the air. April is a low rain month during which temperatures rise in the plains and over the hills, allowing crops to ripen and starting snow or glacier melting that feeds the country’s water reservoirs. “Its unusual rain, which comes every after around four years in April,” said Flood Forecasting Division Chief Riaz Khan. “Rain, strong wind and hailstones are definitely harmful to crops in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he added.

More to fall

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department Thursday predicted chances of rain and dust-storm at scattered places of upper Punjab, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan during the next 24 hours.

An official of PMD informed that the westerly weather system presently prevailing in Afghanistan would move to the upper parts of the country and cause rain at scattered places. There are also chances of rain in the Southern Punjab.

However the weather would remain dry in different parts of the country especially the plain areas from Saturday till next few days and day temperature would slightly increase. The weather system would move from upper areas to Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan and cause rain on Saturday.