LAHORE: The city should expect light to moderate rain during the weekend, with a light spell on Friday morning and main showers coming on Saturday and Sunday, forecast meterological pundits here on Monday.

Though earlier predictions had announced rain from Tuesday (today), the Met office now thinks that they would come over the weekend. For the next three days, it would only be foggy conditions occasionally interrupted by mild sunny spells.

“It would hopefully be the last spell of January. However, more spells would continue visiting the city and province during February. During the next month, it would be normal to above-normal rains for Lahore and Punjab,” says one of the officials.

On Monday, maximum temperature in the city was recorded at 12 degree Celsius, with a minimum of 6.8 degree Celsius. However, windy conditions made it feel much colder than the temperatures suggest; wind speed was recorded at 11 kilometer per hour.

The air quality index (AQI), however, refused to improve despite wind, and was reported at 265 (very unhealthy category). Though Faisalabad led the provincial index with 305 mark, but Lahore continued suffering badly. Individual spots like Kot Lakhpat industrial area fared even worse with AQI deteriorating to 409, The Mall 406 and Simla Pahari at 405.

“This is where the government needs to concentrate its efforts on. If even wind fails to clear the city environment, it means pollutants are too persistent and strong to be cleared by this natural remedy. The provincial authorities need to find a permanent solution. Otherwise, the city runs the risk of massive health crisis,” warns an environmentalist from the city.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2022