Sunday weather: rain promises respite from heat but poses floods risk

WEB DESK: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted rain with strong winds and thundershowers at isolated places on Sunday. While this will bring much needed respite from the raging heat, there is also a warning issued for possible flash floods and overflowing of canals across the country.

In Kashmir, North-East Punjab, Potohar region, Islamabad and Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rainy weather with thunderstorms is predicted for Sunday. A few places in North-East Balochistan and South Balochistan, as well as Central Punjab and South Punjab, and South-East Sindh and Lower Sindh are likely to get this weather phenomenon.

Going region by region, PMD said that Islamabad and its surroundings will remain cloudy on Sunday, with prediction of rain with strong winds and thundershowers at a few places. Heavy rain is also expected at a few places with a probability of 70 per cent.

Likewise, in Punjab, most districts will get cloudy skies. Rain with strong winds and thundershowers are likely at isolated places in Murree, Galiyat, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Attock, Chakwal, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Sargodha, Khushab, Sheikhupura, Mianwali and Mandi Bahauddin. Heavy and thunderous rain is predicted for Layyah, Bhakkar, Kasur, Lodhran, Okara, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Multan, DG Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rain with strong winds and thundershowers is expected at isolated places in Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Malakand, Bajaur, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, Buner, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, Waziristan, Kohat, Karak, Hangu and surrounding areas. At some areas, the rainfall maybe heavy as well.

For Sindh, PMD said that in addition to the partly cloudy weather, rain with strong winds and thundershowers is expected at a few places in Hyderabad, Karachi, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Ghotki, Tharparkar, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Khairpur and surrounding areas during the evening and night hours.

Most districts of Balochistan too will get partly cloudy weather, with the possibility of rain with strong winds and thundershowers in Zhob, Musakhel, Kohlu, Barkhan, Ziarat, Sibi, Naseerabad, Dera Bugti, Jhal Magsi, Jafarabad, Loralai, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Awaran and surrounding areas. Heavy rain may occur at a few places during this time.

In Gilgit-Baltistan, the weather will be hot and partly cloudy, with thundershowers at a few places, while in Kashmir, partly cloudy weather with strong winds and thundershowers is predicted along with heavy rain at a few places.

PMD has also issued a warning related to heavy rain, saying that local rivers and rainfall fed rivers and canals may overflow in Murree, Galiyat, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Kohistan, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi and DG Khan. Similar situation may also occur at Musakhel, Barkhan, Khuzdar, Lasbela and Kalat.

Due to wind and thunderstorm, daily routines may be affected, and weak infrastructure (electric poles, vehicles, solar panels, etc.) may be damaged, PMD said. Furthermore, there is also a risk of traffic movement being affected due to landslides in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, and Kashmir.

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