ISLAMABAD: The pollen season this year has almost come to an end with the maximum count remaining at 3,873 particles per cubic metres (PCM) only on Monday.

The strong winds followed by 3 mm rainfall on Sunday led to a sharp decline in the pollen count as the floating particles were swept away by the rain water.

Due to regular rainfall in March, the high pollen count above 25,000 PCM was recorded only after March 26, while the maximum pollen count was over 45,000 PCM for a brief period and dropped below the 25,000 PCM level on April 5.

The changing weather conditions including high mercury level during the day is likely to restrict the growth of pollen in coming days.

The maximum temperature in Islamabad on Monday was 32° C, which is high for the delicate pollen spores, released by the varieties of grasses, trees and other plants.

The Met Office said that continental air is prevailing over most parts of the country and a fresh westerly wave is likely to affect the western and upper parts of the country on Tuesday.

Under these conditions dust-thunderstorm / rain is expected at isolated places in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, apart from Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat, Mardan, Bannu, D.I. Khan, Quetta, Zhob, Gujranwala, Sargodha, D.G. Khan divisions and Kashmir.

Currently, only the male trees of paper mulberry were releasing pollen and after the expected weather system arrives on Tuesday, a vast majority of these spores too are likely to die down up to the spring season 2020. Currently there is negligible pollen releases from grasses, fungi, eucalyptus, cannabis and dandelions.

The day time temperature is expected to be higher on Tuesday but after light rainfall during the night mercury is likely to decline slightly on Wednesday.

The weather will be mainlyhot and dryin most parts of the country and very hot in South Punjab and Sindh.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2019