RAWALPINDI: Thefirst winterrainin the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Saturday not only settled the dust but brought relief for allergy and flu patients.

Black clouds blanketed the twin cities from Friday evening butrainstarted on Saturday morning.

The Met Office spokesman has predicted cloudy weather on Sunday.

Meteorological Department forecast rain-thunderstrom in Islamabad, upper/central Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Partly cloudy weather with light rain is also expected at few places in South Punjab, he said.

“A westerly weather system is expected to persist in upper parts till Monday.

“Under the influence of this weather system rain with snowfall over the hills is expected in Gilgit-Baltistan till Monday,” the spokesman said.

He said light to moderate rain-thunderstorm is expected in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mianwali, Khushab, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Lahore till Monday.

The lightrainhas brought relief for allergy patients especially suffering from flu.

Health experts say with the start of chill in the air, the number of seasonal fever patients are likely to be increased in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

“Duringrain, allergy cases usually decreases becauserainsettled the dust and clean the atmosphere,” said Dr Mazhar Azeem, who runs his clinic in Chaklala Scheme 3, while talking to Dawn.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2020