ISLAMABAD: Despite the high temperatures, the twin cities are likely to see a mild and occasionally pleasant May, due to regular arrival of clouds over the Potohar region.

The Met Office has said northern Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkha, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir are expected to receive slightly above normal precipitation.

Hot, dry weather is expected in most parts of the country, while rain thunderstorms and heavy winds are expected in a few places. Light rainfall is expected in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Hazara and the Fata next week.

The Met Office said: “These regions are likely to receive three to four rain spells accompanied by thunderstorms and even isolated hailstorms associated with windstorms during the month.”

At the same time, hot and dry conditions accompanied by dust storms will prevail in the southern half of the country, including in central Punjab. The Met Office has said temperatures in these areas are also likely to remain slightly above normal.

The Met Office has attributed the mild summer in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Galiat to the current El Niño and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) conditions.

While El Niño impacts global weather conditions and develops from the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Peru, the IOD is a variation between the temperature of the Indian Ocean at its eastern end and western coats. IOD effects rainfall in the regional countries.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2017