RAWALPINDI: The Meteorological Department has forecast rain with gusty winds in Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Sunday and Monday morning which may disrupt the cricket match between Pakistan and Australia being played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

More rain and gusty winds is expected in the upper parts of the country for a week from today (Saturday) while twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad will get rain on Sunday and Monday.

The Met Office warned all authorities concerned to remain ‘vigilant’ during the forecast period. It said that cricket match may be disturbed on Sunday and Monday.

The Met Office informed that a westerly wave is likely to enter western parts of the country on Saturday (night) and likely to persist in upper parts of the country till Thursday.

According to the weather advisory issued by Meteorological Department, under the influence of westerly weather system, rain-wind/thunderstorm with snow over hills is expected in Quetta, Ziarat, Qila Saifullah, Pishin, Zhob, Musa Khel, Waziristan, Dera Ismail khan, Bannu, Bhakkar and Layyah from Saturday (night) to Tuesday.

It said that rain-wind/thunderstorm with isolated heavy falls/hailstorm expected in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Malakand, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir from Saturday (night) to Thursday with occasional gaps.

However, it stated that in Swabi, Mardan, Nowshera, Charsadda, Peshawar, Bajaur, Kurram, Khyber, Kohat, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Mianwali, Bhakkar, Sargodha, Khushab, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Lahore and Sialkot, on Sunday and Monday (morning).

On the other hand, light with few moderate snowfalls is expected in Murree, Galliyat, Nathiagali, Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Neelum valley, Bagh, Haveli, Astore, Skardu and Hunza on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

It warned that windstorm may cause damages to vulnerable structures and standing crops in north Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, upper Punjab, and Kashmir on Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday.

APP adds: Pollen will start spreading early this year as less rain is expected during spring this time in the twin cities, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said.

Pollen, which generally originates after the natural process of revival of flowers and green cover in spring, was expected to spread in the second week of March until the mid of April, official sources of the Met Office said, adding that pollen concentration increased gradually with the onset of spring season and attained its peak in full blossom. The department was monitoring the pollen count throughout the year after pollen monitoring devices were installed in F-8, E-8, F-10 and G-6 sectors.

The official said eight plant species - paper mulberry, acacia, eucalyptus, pines, grasses, cannabis, dandelion and alternaria - caused pollen spread in Islamabad out of which paper mulberry contributed about 97pc to the total pollen spread and its concentration gained about 40,000 per cubic metre of air at the apex of full blossom.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2022