25 January 2004	Sunday	02 Zilhaj 1424

LAHORE, Jan 24: Another westerly system has entered the country from Balochistan and is likely to give more rain and snowfall in the northern parts, reports Chief Meteorologist Shaukat Ali Awan here on Saturday.

The previous system that gave light rainfall in the length and breadth of the country and considerable snowfall over the hills continually for three days passed over to India during the early hours of Saturday.

As a result, people enjoyed basking in sun in most parts of the country. In Lahore, it was a bright sunny day which brought normalcy to life.

According to Mr Awan, the new westerly system was shallow and fast. It would give light rain in the northern areas, the NWFP and northern Punjab with snowfall over the hills during the next 24 hours.

He hoped that the shortfall in rain during the first 20 days of the winter rainy season would be overcome till March 31.

The country had received abundant rain and snowfall over the hills during the last portion of the winter rainy season last year, having enough water storage capacity for the early hot and dry summer, which lasts from April 1 to June 30.

Meanwhile, Lahore's maximum temperature further increased from Friday's 16 degrees C to 17.2 degrees C. The minimum temperature, however, dropped from Friday's 10.7 degrees C to 5 degrees C, increasing the intensity of cold weather during the last night.

Humidity was recorded 100 per cent in the morning and 63 per cent in the evening.