ISLAMABAD: Despite the movement of thick clouds towards Pakistan, there are no chances of rain for at least 15 days due to the La Nina impact that experts said was blocking the cool moist winds from blowing towards South Asia from the west.

The winds over eastern Iran were pushing the cluster of clouds coming from Europe and the Caspian Sea towards the north, as a result, only the shallow layer of clouds could penetrate into Pakistan.

“Under the impact of this system that developed a few days ago, there were thick fogs in some parts of the central Punjab, including Lahore on Wednesday and Thursday. But the clouds fizzled out by Friday evening,” said an official of the Met Office.

Due to a lack of thick clouds from the west, the whole region from Malakand to India remained devoid of the winter rains.

The average maximum temperature in November and the first week of December used to be around 20 degrees Centigrade whereas it is around 26 degrees this year in Islamabad, data collected from Met Office showed.

At the same time, the mercury used to drop to as low as three degrees in the last week of November and the first week of December but it is still hovering between four and eight degrees.

“This is the reason leaves are still attached to trees and many wild flowers have started blooming again,” the official added.

Due to the lack of cold and less humidity, the plains of Punjab and Sindh are not facing the traditional dense fog too.

“Another system is likely to develop after December 15 and there are chances that it would bring the first winter rain,” the official added.

Meanwhile, the water level at Simly Dam has reduced from its highest level at 2,315 feet to 2,297 feet in two months.

Published in Dawn December 3rd, 2016