RAWALPINDI: The Met Office has predicted pre-monsoon rains in the twin cities from next week. This will bring down the temperature and provide relief to people from the heatwave that has gripped the region for the last few days.

On Tuesday, the maximum temperature in Rawalpindi and Islamabad was recorded at 43 degrees. Roads and bazaars remained empty as people chose to remain in their houses.

According to the Meteorological Department, hot and dry weather is likely to prevail in most plain areas of the country. A dust-thunderstorm with light rain is expected in Islamabad and Potohar region on Wednesday evening (today).

Forecasting officer Rashid Bilal said overall, a tendency for above normal precipitation was likely during July, August and September.

“The onset of monsoon is expected during the last week of June whereas pre-monsoon rains may occur from the second week of the current month,” he said.

It may be mentioned here that 140.8 millimetres of rain in the country is considered normal during monsoon (July – September). “The neutral phase of Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is gradually shifting to the negative phase and it will likely produce rains in mid June, however, above normal rains are expected in July,” according to a statement.

The first phase (July to mid-August) of monsoon is expected to be wet as compared to the last phase (mid-August to end of September), it stated, adding that the possibility of extreme hydro-meteorological events in catchment areas may generate riverine floods in major rivers.

Heavy rainfall during monsoon may trigger flash flooding in hilly areas and urban flooding in plain areas. Above normal temperatures in high altitude areas are likely to increase the rate of snow-melt in the Northern areas subsequently increasing the chances of base flow in the upper Indus basin. Sufficient water availability for irrigation and power sectors will be a good impact of the rain.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2022