LAHORE: The Pakistan Meteorological Department on Friday forecast a weak monsoon in the country with some uncertainties, producing slightly less than normal rainfall from July to September.

However, due to interaction of easterly and westerly systems, a few extreme rainfall events (exceeding 100mm in a day) may occur over Azad Kashmir, north-east Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resulting in (river) floods.

According to the PMD seasonal outlook, the monsoon will gradually pick rhythm in the second and third week of July, producing rainfall in most areas of Azad Kashmir, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with one or two extreme rainfall events during the third or the last week of the month.

In the second fortnight of July, the monsoon currents would also penetrate south-eastern parts of the country, producing scattered rainfall in Sindh and eastern Balochistan.

The department said that the overall availability of water from the monsoon rainfall in the country would nevertheless be satisfactory.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2015

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