LAHORE: There are two more days of hot and dry weather in the plains of the country as an approaching westerly wave is expected to bring a relief in the shape of rains and gusty winds from Monday to Thursday.

According to the Met Department on Friday, the current spell of hot and dry weather is likely to prevail in most parts of the country on Saturday (today) and Sunday (tomorrow). As a result, the day temperatures are expected to remain two to four degrees Celsius above normal in most parts of the country during these two days.

Nevertheless, temperatures will fall on Tuesday and remain two to three degrees Celsius below normal particularly in Punjab, Fata, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir during the coming week because of the westerly wave.

The department says the wave is likely to approach Pakistan on Sunday evening or Monday, producing rains with intermissions and gusty winds in plain areas of the country during the coming week.

Under the influence of this westerly wave, scattered rain-dust storm is expected in Islamabad, Fata, Kkyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir during Monday evening to Thursday. While isolated rain-dust storm is also expected in upper Sindh and north-east Balochistan during Monday to Wednesday.

As hot and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country in the next two days, farmers should complete wheat harvesting and threshing. As dust storms will be common in Punjab and KP next week and ahead, the farmers should not leave their harvested wheat unbound and threshed straw uncovered.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2016