Heavy monsoon rains swept across Lahore and several parts of Punjab on Tuesday, bringing welcome relief from the humid weather by lowering daytime temperatures.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast more widespread rain accompanied by strong winds on Tuesday evening and night, with wet weather expected to continue over the next two days.
According to the PMD, moisture-laden monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal are penetrating the upper parts of Pakistan and are expected to intensify. A westerly weather system is also likely to influence the upper and central regions of the country, enhancing rainfall activity.
Under the prevailing weather pattern, rain and gusty winds are expected in Rawalpindi, Murree, Galyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Faisalabad, Khushab, Sargodha, Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Narowal, Sahiwal, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Nankana Sahib, Chiniot, Okara, Noorpur Thal, Bhakkar, Mianwali, Layyah, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Tunsa, Multan, Khanewal, Lodhran, Muzaffargarh, Kot Addu, Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur through Tuesday night and during the following two days.
The department warned that heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated locations, particularly in Rawalpindi, Attock, Murree, Galyat, Jhelum, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Narowal, Hafizabad and Dera Ghazi Khan.
Authorities cautioned that intense rainfall could trigger landslides in vulnerable areas of Murree and Galyat. Flash flooding is also possible in local streams and nullahs of Murree, Galyat, northeastern Punjab and the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan.
Urban flooding may occur in low-lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Multan and Faisalabad. The PMD also warned that windstorms, lightning and heavy rain could damage weak structures, including solar panels, electricity poles and roadside billboards.
Lahore’s daytime temperature is expected to range between 37°C and 39°C on Wednesday, before falling further to 35°C to 37°C on Thursday.
During the past 24 hours, rain, wind and thunderstorms affected Lahore and several districts of Punjab. The highest rainfall totals included Mangla (84mm), Jhelum (81mm), Gujranwala (74mm), Sialkot Airport (72mm), Islamabad’s Saidpur Village (64mm), Murree (49mm), Gujrat (48mm), Lahore Airport (48mm), Mandi Bahauddin (37mm), Attock (37mm), Rawalpindi’s Shamsabad (34mm) and Narowal (34mm), while lighter rainfall was recorded in several other districts.
Lahore recorded a maximum temperature of 39°C, with morning humidity reaching 85 per cent.
