RAWALPINDI: The twin cities were hit by gusty winds and light rain on Sunday evening, bringing some relief to citizens from the hot weather.

The temperature recorded in Rawalpindi and Islamabad was 42°C degree Celsius on Sunday morning.

According to the Met Office, the daytime temperature may fall to 38°C and 40°C on Monday, however, it will rise again in the coming week.

Strong winds uprooted many trees in Ayub National Park, Jhelum Road and Peshawar Road and blew away solar panels from rooftops of houses in DHA Phase-1, Chaklala Scheme-III and Gulistan Colony.

Tents fixed at the railway ground along I.J. Principal Road for Tablighi Ijtema were also uprooted. The three-day congregation is scheduled to start from May 20.

Many areas experienced power suspension, which the Iesco officials said was due to the strong winds.

The Met Office official said continental air was prevailing over most parts of the country while a shallow westerly wave was present over the northwestern region.

He said very hot weather was expected in most plain areas of the country, however, gusty/dust raising winds with rain-thunderstorm is expected at isolated places in Gilgit Baltistan, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, upper Punjab and Kashmir.

Highest maximum temperature on Sunday was recorded in Bhakkar, Noorpur Thal and Dera Ismail Khan, which was 49°C while mercury soared to 48°C in Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahimyar Khan, Jacobabad and Shaheed Benazirabad.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2022