Westerly winds to alleviate heatwave in upper Pakistan    

ISLAMABAD: People in upper parts of Pakistan got a much-needed relief on Friday, as a shallow westerly winds started affecting the region amid the ongoing heatwave, which has paralysed routine life across the country.

Satellite images around 9:20pm showed clouds developing over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and some adjoining areas of Punjab as well as Kashmir.

Earlier in the day, Parachinar and surrounding areas received rain with thunder and strong winds. Later, isolated storms were also reported from Malakand Division.

Most of the lightning is visible Kashmir and the bordering areas of Punjab from Islamabad towards Jhelum and Narowal.  

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The weather system has been producing rains in central and northern Afghanistan for the last three days. However, the intense heatwave thanks to a very strong high pressure kept the moisture-carrying winds away from Pakistan.  

At the same time, moisture from the Arabian Sea and the Gulf Bengal is currently producing thicker clouds over Indian Punjab, Haryana, Jammu Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. These simultaneous weather developments are certainly going to help decrease the temperature in the entire region.

CLIMATE CHANGE

The current heatwave have affected not only Pakistan but also much of India. As a result, it has also hampered the advancement of monsoon in India after early arrival over Kerala and later covering Mumbai in May.

As a result, the plain areas and arid zone in Pakistan have been witnessing in temperatures in high 40s or near 50 degree Celsius for the past week or so. Even Islamabad, which is considered to have pleasant weather, saw the day temperature reaching 45 degree Celsius.

PLEASANT CHANGE

As far as the western disturbance is concerned, the cloud development is currently mostly concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but it is expected the upper Punjab and Kashmir too will receive good rains with strong winds and isolated hailstorm from June 13 to June 16.

Meanwhile, dust-raising winds brought the mercury down on Friday evening in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. There was thunder and light to moderate rain in parts of the area by the time this report was being filed.           

Last month, Pakistan witnessed violent storms that claim several lives after the first heatwave of the season hit the country.

South Asia is one of the worst affected regions, where the effects of global warming/ climate change are very much visible.

Hence, Pakistan received very little rain or snow in the last winter season. That is why many parts of the country faced drought conditions. Meanwhile, the persistent trend of rising temperatures is producing heatwaves.