LAHORE: A shallow westerly wave gave light rain over the upper parts of the country on Wednesday but its plains continued to brave the severe heat wave that broke previous records of highest maximum temperatures in Sindh and Punjab.

Larkana was the hottest place in the country with a record 50 degrees Celsius maximum temperature. Its previous highest ever maximum temperature in April was 48.5 degrees Celsius that was recorded in 2000.

Sibbi recorded 48 degrees Celsius maximum temperature as against its previous highest maximum 47 degrees Celsius recorded in 1981.

The maximum temperature in Dera Ismail Khan was 45 degrees Celsius as against its previous highest ever 44 recorded in 2006.

Faisalabad recorded 45 degrees Celsius as against its previously highest maximum 44 recorded in 2007.

The second hottest place in the country was Moenjodero with 49 degrees C maximum temperature. It was 47 degrees Celsius in D G Khan, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Dadu and 46 in Bhakkar, Kot Addu, Khanpur, Bahawalnagar, Turbat, Rohri.

The maximum temperature in Lahore dropped to 43 degrees c from Tuesday’s 45.

The Met department reported that Kalam received 7mm of rain, Bunji 5, Skardu 4, Chillas 3, Astore 2.

It forecast mainly hot and dry weather over most parts of the country in the next 24 hours. Dust-thunderstorm/rain with gusty winds is expected at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Mardan, Rawalpindi divisions, Islamabad, Fata, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Very hot weather is expected in plains of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Larkana, Hyderabad, Naseerabad, Makran and Sibbi divisions.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2017