LAHORE: Northern Areas temperature is being recorded 5 degree up against the normal level during this part of the year, said sources from Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
Weak westerly systems are being described as the prime reason behind the phenomenon, therefore no heavy snowfall, which has had been a regular feature of glaciers region since long. They said a similar trend is likely to continue ahead though another system is likely to develop by mid-March, which is appearing to be weak so far.
PMD sources said the Northern areas have witnessed 30 percent less snowfall this year and this shortage would be difficult to bridge up in the absence of a strong westerly system until mid-April.
Meanwhile, an increase of 5C in temperature has expedited the process of snowmelt this year leading to substantial inflows to Tarbela dam.
The latest data suggests that the level of Tarbela has reached to 1433.6 feet on Monday this year against 1392 feet during the corresponding period. The live storage has reached to 11.2 percent against lying at the dead level last year when the dam had witnessed a dead level over 100 days. The inflow has been recorded at 23000 cusecs against 16400 cusecs last year, which means that the frequency of snowmelt is higher this year against the previous one, about 45 percent higher.
It is also worth noting that the temperature right from Murree to the central Punjab has also registered an increase of 2C against the historic normal levels in the month of March. Sources said overheated weather condition from Gilgit onwards to glaciers has impacted coldness of weather in the region.
Talking to Business Recorder, Director Shahid Abbas confirmed the phenomenon and added that the quantity of rain has been below normal during the first three months of the calendar year, which area considered to be the months of winter season. However, he pointed out that a heavy rain is expected any time during the remaining part of the month of March. The way Tarbela has attained an impressive level suggests that water is heavy inflowing from heated glaciers, he said.
Most of the rains received so far in the region, he said, are recorded as light and we are still waiting for a system brining heavy rain to the region, which would be helpful in meeting shortage of snowfall in the Northern areas. He has further mentioned that the minimum temperature of the city of Lahore has also been recorded 2 degree up to 17C against the traditionally normal range of 15C.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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