LAHORE, Sept 20: Hot and humid weather continued to persist for the fourth day running in Lahore on Saturday with the Met office seeing no relief in the near future.

The maximum temperature was 36.7 degrees C and the minimum 28.7 degrees with 66 per cent humidity in the morning and 52 per cent in the evening.

The high temperature and humidity during the past three days had been causing a great deal of inconvenience to the people, particularly schoolchildren. Nights too had been hot

and humid, giving no respite to the citizens even after the sunset.

The Met office said the spell could be broken by rain which was not expected at least in the next three to four days. It said there was no westerly system to cause rain and lower the temperature.

Chief Meteorologist Shaukat Ali Awan said the sultry weather conditions were being caused by moisture from the Arabian Sea which was reaching up to Jhelum.

The wind was hot and humid and adding to the impact of the high temperature. The wind was also carrying dust particles which were preventing its fresh recharge, he said.

Mr Awan said the existing weather conditions were normally seen during the late July and August but were bearable when the maximum was between 30 to 35 degrees C. At present, the temperature was within the range of 35 to 40 degrees, he said.

He said normally the maximum temperature was dropped and humidity decreased after Sept 15, giving dry and hot days and a bit cold nights.

The current weather conditions would be changed only with a westerly system-generated rain which was not in sight at least in the next three to four days, he said.

Monsoon season starts in Pakistan from July 1 and according to the Met office standards continues till Sept 30.