RAWALPINDI: Gusty winds accompanied by rain lashed Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Friday evening, turning weather pleasant. Temperature dropped from 33 degrees Celsius at 4:00 pm to 23 degrees Celsius after rain at 5:30 pm.

The Meteorological Department recorded 20mm of rain at Zero Point, 14mm at Saidpur, 1mm at Golra and 2mm at Bokra while 1mm at Airport in Islamabad while 1mm rain recorded at Shamsabad in Rawalpindi.

The Met Department official said that the wind speed was recorded at 45 knots (90 kilometer per hour) in the twin cities.

According to the official, strong monsoon currents from Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are penetrating upper/central parts of the country. A fresh westerly trough is likely to affect most upper/central parts of the country from Friday night.

More rain-wind/thundershowers are expected in Kashmir, Islamabad, Upper/Central Punjab, Northeast Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (with occasional gaps). Heavy falls are also likely at isolated places during the period. Downpour is also expected at isolated places in Gilgit-Baltistan and south Punjab.

The Met Office issued an alert regarding the torrential rains possibly causing flash floods in local nullahs/streams of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Manshera, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Dir, Swat, Kashmir, northeast Balochistan and hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan from Friday night to July 7.

Heavy rains may cause urban flooding in Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Narowal, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Peshawar till July 7. Landslides may disrupt roads at the vulnerable points of hilly areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. On Friday, maximum temperatures were recorded at Nokundi, Dalbandin 48 degrees Celsius, Dadu, Chilas 44 degrees Celsius.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2024