LAHORE, My 23: Temperatures went up to their highest in many cities in the country as the persisting heat wave reached its climax on Thursday.

The Met department expected the heat wave to unleash its fury over the plain areas of the country, mainly Punjab and Sindh, for another day (Friday), hoping a relief at least in northern Punjab by a trough of a westerly on Saturday.

Lahore’s maximum temperature arose to 47.4 degrees Celsius, making the city sizzle throughout the day. Heat was scorching outdoors and unbearable indoors because of repeated loadshedding and short supply of tap water.

It was very hot last night too with a minimum temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. Loadshedding made it difficult to sleep and many started the day exhausted.

According to the Met office, the city had recorded 47 degrees Celsius maximum temperature in 1954 and 1984 in the month of May. It was 48 degrees Celsius in 1929 and 1944.

Meanwhile, the hottest town in the country was Punjab’s Noorpur Thal with a maximum temperature of 50.1 degrees Celsius. It was followed by 50 degrees Celsius in Jacobabad and Bhakkar 49.5 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature in a majority of Punjab cities ranged between 45 and 48 degrees Celsius.

The Met office said it would remain mainly very hot and dry over most parts of the country in the next 24 hours with chances of dust raising winds over the plains.

It forecast scattered dust thunderstorm/rain over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir and north Punjab on Saturday.