RAWALPINDI: Rainfall in Rawalpindi and Islamabad brought about a pleasant shift in the weather, providing relief to residents. More rain is expected during the week, starting today.

The temperature dropped two degrees from 36°C to 34°Celsius in the twin cities, with 25mm of rain recorded in Chaklala, 16mm in Shamsabad, 16mm in Bokra, 10mm at Zero Point and Golra and two millimetres of rain in Saidpur and New International Islamabad Airport.

Terming the current spell of rain ‘pre-monsoon rains’, an official from the Meteorological Department (Met Office) predicted another strong spell of rain on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

“Heavy rainfall will be expected in the twin cities. We advise the farmers, planning harvesting of wheat crops in the current week, to postpone the activity due to expected rain in the current week,” he said, addingthat this weather was not unusual as mostly rain occurs in the Potohar region during May.

“Pollution levels dropped due to the lockdown which is why the temperature dropped and it will further drop in the coming days; but it will rise in the fourth week of May, after Eidul Fitr. Pleasant weather is expected in Ramazan, however,” he added.

Talking to Dawn, Water and Sanitation Authority spokesman Umer Farooq said: “Wasa is working to de-silt nullahs and drains; flow of rainwater will help clean nullahs without any additional support of machinery.”

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2020