LAHORE: The Pakistan Meteorological Department on Tuesday forecast intensification of tropical cyclone Vayu in the next 12 hours, expecting widespread dust/thundershowers with isolated heavy rainfall in three Sindh districts on Thursday and Friday.

Sea breeze is likely to remain cut off on Thursday and Friday which can lead to heatwave-like conditions in the coastal areas of Sindh, including Karachi, it says in its weather warning.

The Met department said the deep depression in the east Arabian Sea having moved north/northwest-ward intensified into tropical cyclone Vayu and lay currently at a distance of about 1,150 kilometres south of Karachi. The maximum sustained surface winds were 70-80km per hour, gusting to 90km per hour around the system centre.

Fishermen warned against venturing into open sea

The system was likely to intensify further into a severe tropical cyclone by Tuesday evening and move in the northerly direction during the next 24 hours.

Under the influence of this system, widespread dust/thundershowers with isolated heavy falls were expected in southeast Sindh (Thatta, Badin and Tharparkar districts) on Thursday and Friday. Scattered/isolated dust/thundershowers might occur in the rest of Sindh during the period.

The Met department asked the fishermen of Sindh not to venture into open sea from Wednesday evening to Friday evening, as the sea conditions were likely to be rough/very rough. It also asked all Sindh authorities concerned to remain alert during the period.

Meanwhile, weather remained hot and dry in most parts of the country, while very hot in the plain areas of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, eastern Balochistan and Sindh on Tuesday. Dust/thunderstorm/rain occurred at isolated places in Rawalpindi, Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat divisions, Islamabad, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Murree received 22mm of rain, Islamabad 7, Rawalpindi 2, Jhelum 1, Astore 17, Bunji 8, Gilgit and Skardu 5, Bagrote 4, Chilas 2, Saidu Sharif 7, Malam Jabba and Pattan 6, Peshawar 5, Cherat 4, Upper Dir, Kakul and Parachinar 3, Kalam 1, Rawalakot 4, Muzaffarabad and Garidupatta 2.

The maximum temperature recorded was in Sibbi (48 degrees Celsius), Jacobabad and Noorpur Thal (47), Turbat, Dadu and Bahawalnagar (46) and Lahore (44 degrees Celsius).

Mainly hot and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country while very hot in eastern Balochistan, Sindh and central/southern Punjab in the next 24 hours. However, dust/thunderstorm/rain is expected at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat, Rawalpindi divisions, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2019