LAHORE: The prevailing monsoon system in Punjab has surprisingly become weak after a change in its behaviour, leading to isolated and scattered rains in the catchment areas of rivers, said Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) sources.

Meanwhile, the PMD sources further predicted a dangerous trend from 26th July onwards when a new system is likely to be developed at the Arabian Sea and a minor drift towards the city of Karachi may lead to around 300 millimeter rain, leading to urban-flooding situation. They added the said monsoon has yet to be created which may be dangerous for the Karachiites.

It may be noted that the PMD was predicting strong spells of rain from 22nd to 26th of July after a change in direction of monsoon system from Arabian Sea to the foothills of the upper country. But the system took a surprising turn on Wednesday when monsoon waves took a straight path to the mountain ranges instead of swirling around the central and Southern Punjab, as being expected earlier.

The present behaviour of the monsoon system in Punjab suggests it has lost the phenomenon of intensity but only isolated rain in the catchment areas is expected ahead. Some 40,000 cusecs water is likely to be added to the rivers after a weak and isolated spells of rain, which otherwise could be around 150,000 cusecs in case of strong and heavy rains, they said and added that rivers would stay calm.

Also, they said, there no fresh spell of westerly waves is present in the region, therefore, the factor of coolness would be absent from the rainy spells ahead.

It may be noted that Met Office had predicted that strong monsoon currents are likely to penetrate in upper and central parts of the country from Wednesday (today) and likely to spread to the other parts of the country from Thursday (today).

Flash flooding was also forecasted in local Nullahs of Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Dir and Kashmir from 20th to 23rd July. Similarly, rainfall was also likely to trigger landslides in Kashmir, Galiyat, Murree, Chillas, Diamir, Gilgit, Hunza, Astore and Skardu during the forecast period.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022