ISLAMABAD: After two months of the dry spell, the downpour of 74mm from Friday morning to Saturday morning in the capital was 25 per cent above the normal precipitation for the whole month of January.

While the whole country witnessed almost negligible rainfall in November and December, the rainfall in Islamabad during the last five days was 118.40mm which was 100pc over the average rainfall for January in the capital.

However, there is no prediction of further rainfall in coming days. The Met Office has said the weather condition up to January 14 will be mainly very cold and dry in most parts of the country, including Islamabad and Murree.

Fog may prevail at some places in the plain areas of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and upper Sindh.

The Met Office said the global phenomenon of LaNina and the Indian Ocean Dipole, which altered the normal weather conditions, had caused below normal rainfall in November and December.

The other condition that impacted the global and regional weather were expected to approach neutral state in coming days. The Met Office said a tendency for above normal precipitation was predicted over most parts of the country.

Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir and northern parts of KP and Punjab, southern and southwestern parts of Balochistan are expected to receive above normal precipitation.

Whereas the southern belt, comprising the adjacent parts of Sindh and Balochistan as well as southern Punjab, are expected to receive near normal rainfall in January.

During the rainy days over northeastern parts of the country, the fog and smog episode gets weakened.

At the same time, the Met Office predicted that heavy rainfall may generate flash flooding in vulnerable parts of Balochistan and KP after intervals in the month.

But these conditions will support the water reservoirs and they are expected to receive sufficient amount of water in the coming season due to adequate snowfall over northern parts of the country.

The rainfall over the plain areas of Punjab and Sindh is expected to a have positive impact on Rabi crops like wheat, sugarcane etc.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2022