LAHORE: August has witnessed an overall below-normal rainfall in the country, leading to high temperatures that accelerated snow and glacier melting over the high mountains, and the Met officials said on Saturday the low rain trend would continue till the culmination of the monsoon season next month.

The agriculture experts say that farmers will have to depend either on tube-wells or canals to water their crops like rice in the absence of the required amount of rain.

The country had received near normal rainfall, particularly in its upper parts and northeast Punjab in July which is the opening month of the monsoon season that culminates in this part of the sub-continent in September.

Weather had particularly been unbearably muggy in the plains of the country, especially in Punjab, because of no or less rain during the current month. This pushed the temperatures up and created suffocating weather conditions in view of the incursion of moisture, either from the Arabian Sea or the Bay of Bengal.

The high temperatures that accelerated snow and glacier melting over high mountains had increased the flows in the River Indus and its tributaries, almost filling the Tarbela Dam. Its level on Saturday was 1,546.49ft as against the maximum conservation level of 1,550ft. The inflow was 153,300 cusecs and the generous outflow 200,000 cusecs.

As against this, the monsoon rain-fed Mangla Dam was below its maximum conservation level of 1,242ft on Saturday. Its level was 1,234.55 ft. The inflow was 19,132 cusecs and the outflow 30,861 cusecs.

Pakistan heavily relies on these dams for irrigating its crops in less rain months and for producing electricity.

According to the Met department data, only three places recorded above normal rain and the figure too was slightly higher than the normal rainfall in the month. Mianwali has recorded 158mm, Kohat 135mm, Bannu 142mm as against their normal 115mm, 103mm and 74mm, respectively.

Even the cities in the path of the monsoon current are badly affected. Till August 19 (Saturday), Lahore airport has received 43mm and the city 21mm rain as against their average of 182.9mm and 179mm, respectively.

Similarly, Murree whose average rainfall is 302.4mm has received just 161mm rain. Islamabad has received 75mm rain as against its normal 340mm. Jhelum has recorded 192mm, Sargodha 27mm and Sialkot 200mm rain against their normal 231mm, 109mm and 277mm, respectively.

Sindh has almost been dry throughout the month. Balochistan’s three cities have received light rain which again is below the normal. Zhob has received 26mm, Barkhan 30mm and Khuzadr 13mm against the 45, 89 and 60mm of rain.

Garhi Dupatta has received 57mm of rain, Kotli 116mm, Muzaffarabad 116mm, Balakot 90mm, Dir 64mm, Kakul 91mm and Parachinar 54mm against their normal 210mm, 251mm, 213mm, 265mm, 147mm, 235mm and 110mm respectively.

The Met department in its forecast for the month had stated that monsoon would enter its weaker phase after mid-August in South Asia, including Pakistan, expecting near normal rainfall in northern half and below normal in southern half of the country during the month.

Meanwhile, some localities of Lahore like Wapda Town and Johar Town received light rain in the afternoon. Strong moist wind from India (the Bay of Bengal) kept temperature low (maximum36 degrees C) and provided relief to people.

Lahore Met Director Ajmal Shad said the wind enhanced the level of humidity in the air to 67per cent that dropped the maximum temperature.

He said the monsoon current from the Bay of Bengal had started penetrating upper and eastern parts of the country. A fresh (weak) westerly wave was also likely to approach its upper parts on Sunday.

The combination of these two climatic factors would generate medium to light rain from Sunday night to Tuesday at a few places in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Mirpurkhas divisions, besides Fata, Islamabad, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

“It will remain hot and humid in the rest of the country. It is not a major rain causing system,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2017

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