The city received its first light thundershower Friday after a long heat-wave spell, as the country's monsoon rainfall prospects stand nearly normal between July and September 2019. Weather grew a bit pleasant with the windy showers in Karachi where Karachiites heave a sigh of relief since heat-wave haunted the metropolis over the past one month. Weather is expected to remain warm and humid with maximum 36 degrees Celsius and 75 percent humidity during the next 48 hours in Karachi.
However, upper half of the country may receive above normal rainfall because of the strong incursion of monsoon currents and their interaction with westerly weather system. Below normal rainfall is expected in Sindh and Balochistan, according to the Met Office seasonal forecast.
Extreme weather may unleash flooding in rivers and its adjoining tributaries. Average temperature is likely to remain 2-3 degrees Celsius above the normal in plains. "Most of the global models are indicating weak El-Nino conditions over Pacific Ocean and positive phase of Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)," it said. Growers of the lower half of Pakistan should regularly irrigate their Kharif crops keeping in view the hot weather, the Met Office said. It also asked the farmers to step up efforts to protect standing crops and orchids from damaging impacts of extreme weather such as thunder, sandstorm, gusty winds, hails, etc, in particular areas.
Measures may be taken to preserve the fallow fields after the harvesting of wheat that may be deeply ploughed and left empty for a few weeks. Rice growers should sow the crop's saplings according to the recommendation by the agricultural experts. A light-to-moderate rain in the most parts of Punjab is expected with an isolated rain-thunderstorm in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Multan, DG Khan and Sahiwal divisions and Islamabad. That may continue until June 25.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, scattered rain-thunderstorm is expected during a period ending June 25. Mainly hot and dry weather is expected in Sindh and Balochistan during next 10 days. Dust-thundershower with rain is expected in Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir between June 21 and 25. In the next 24 hours: Mainly hot and dry weather is expected in the most parts of the country with an isolated dust-thundershower and rain with gusty winds in Sargodha, Faisalabad, Multan, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, DI Khan and Kalat divisions, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.
Maximum rainfall was recorded in Kamra 35mm, Barkhan 24mm, Jhelum 19mm, Faisalabad 14mm, Malamjabba 10mm, Okara and Khuzdar 9mm Lasbela 8mm and Islamabad Airport 7mm. Temperature in Sibbi was 45 degrees Celsius, Naukandi and Dalbandin 44, Rohri, Sukkur and Dadu 43, in the last 24 hours. "Seasonal low lies over northwest Balochistan. A westerly wave is present over upper and central parts of the country," the Met said.