RAWALPINDI: The twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Friday sizzled as the temperature rose to 41°C, forcing people to stay indoors.

However, the Met Office has predicted some relief to the residents as the twin cities are likely to receive rain which will be accompanied by gusty winds on Saturday evening or night.

The Met official told Dawn that the continental air is prevailing over most parts of the country. A shallow westerly wave is likely to affect northwestern parts of the country on Saturday evening, he said.

He said though the current heatwave was expected to prevail in the next 48 hours and the day temperature would likely rise further to 42°C, some relief would be witnessed on Saturday evening or night.

He said hot and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country, while plain areas will remain under the grip of severe heat wave conditions.

However, he said that gusty/dust raising winds are likely in central and southern plain districts of the country. Meanwhile, gusty/dust raising winds with light rain-thunderstorm may occur at isolated places in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Potohar region and Kashmir during evening and night.

On Friday, weather remained hot and dry in most parts of the country, while very hot in plain areas. However, rain-wind/thunderstorm occurred at a few places in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, upper Punjab and Kashmir.

Rainfall recorded in Chakwal, Narowal 02 mm and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Upper Dir 01 mm. Friday’s highest maximum temperature recorded at Jacobabad 50°C, Sibbi, Dadu, Mohenjodharo, Larkana, Khairpur 49°C, Shaheed Benazirabad, Mithi, Sukkur, Rohri, Padidan and D G Khan 48°C.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2022