RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Spokesman of Met-Office has stated that pre monsoon rain is likely to start from Saturday in Pakistan. Moist currents will start to penetrate on Friday and rain-thundershower is expected in the country.

He said Rain-thundershower with gusty winds and dust storm are expected at scattered places in Islamabad, upper Punjab (Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Faisalabad divisions), Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, FATA and Kashmir, while at isolated places in Sahiwal division during Eid holidays (Saturday, Sunday and Monday).

In its weather forecast for Friday PMD said that continental air is prevailing over most parts of the country. Mainly very hot and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country. However, rain-thundershower with gusty winds/dust storm is expected at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala divisions, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.

Keeping in view the global, regional and local meteorological indicators, the PMD has prepared seasonal outlook for Pakistan summer monsoon (July – Sep) 2018. It is evident from the model output that monsoon is expected to be more active during the first half than the second one. However, the most likely salient features are as follow: In northern Pakistan, rainfall is expected to remain normal to slightly above normal of long term average during first half of the season, and below normal during second half.

In southern Pakistan, rainfall is expected to remain near normal of long term average during first half of the season, and largely below normal during the second half.

The prevailing temperatures trend in Pakistan indicates high probability of few “Extreme rainfall events” in Punjab, and “GLOF events” in Gilgit-Baltistan/Chitral regions during monsoon season.