ISLAMABAD: The first two days of Eid are expected to see light to dense clouds in the twin cities, bringing down temperatures to make for pleasant evening weather.

The Met Office has said that continental air is prevailing over most of the country, and a westerly wave is present over upper parts of the country that will likely have an effect in the next two to three days.

“The system will reduce the mercury level and bring traces of precipitation. The environment cannot be called pleasant weather throughout the day, but it will restrict the heat wave-like conditions in the area,” a Met official said.

The ongoing winds are part of the last westerly pattern and contain limited moisture, while strong winds laden with humidity are expected to arrive from the east in two to three weeks.

“The pre-monsoon starts from the last week of June, but the systems can arrive earlier too and in drought seasons there can be delays. However, this year the global patterns look normal and the pre-monsoon rains will commence around June 20,” the official added.

The temperature dropped to 20°C Monday night in Islamabad mainly because of 10 millimetres of rainfall that day, while the maximum temperature on Tuesday was 36°C. The maximum temperature in Islamabad on Monday was 39°C and the mercury hovered around 42°C three days ago.

Most of the country is currently facing scorching heat and hot, dry wind. The highest temperatures were recorded in Jacobabad (49°C), Sibbi and Mohenjo-daro (48°C) and Dadu, Sukkur and Rohri (47°C).

These conditions, however, are making the environment in the northern parts of the country, including the twin cities, cooler.

“After the temperature reaches more than 44°C, hot air begins to rise at a fast rate thus creating a vacuum-like pocket, and this phenomenon develops over the vast plains of Punjab and Sindh and areas on the other sides of the border,” the Met official said, adding: “As a result moist air rushes in from high pressure areas.”

Up to June, cool, moist winds come from the west and northwest, and as the mountaineous north and northwest area is home to snow-capped peaks the incoming winds are cold. After July, moisture-filled winds come from the east, creating monsoon rain.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2019