KARACHI: Pakistan is expected to receive near normal monsoon rains from July to September, the Met Office said. “The eastern and upper half of Punjab, eastern Balochistan and Kashmir are likely to receive moderately above normal rainfall, while in Sindh slightly above normal rainfall is expected during the season,” it said.

Onset of the monsoon in the country, area weighted normal rainfall of Pakistan during Jul-Sep is 140.8 mm, it said.

The extreme hydro-meteorological events over catchment areas are likely to generate riverine floods in the major rivers.

Due to some heavy rainfall events flash / urban flooding in hill torrents areas and plain areas of major cities of Sindh, Punjab, Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is expected during the season.

“The prevailing ENSO phase is expected to be neutral. The intensity of slightly negative SST anomalies along the equatorial pacific is expected to persist, which corresponds to a negative Niño index; decreasing -0.25°C to -0.51°C during June – November 2021,” the Met said.

The ENSO outlook suggests ENSO neutral conditions with a decreasing chance from 74 percent to 54 percent during the forecast period.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021