Hot, humid weather tests people’s patience as Met Office forecasts rain

Large swathes of the country remain in the grip of extreme heat as temperatures in Lahore have again started to creep up following a spell of rain and a windstorm that lashed most parts of the country on Saturday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday.  

It was hot in Lahore in the morning, while the weather department forecast that the maximum temperature in the city might go up to 39 degrees Celsius later in the afternoon, while it would remain 28 degrees Celsius on the minimum side.  

It predicted that the breeze would blow in the city at the speed of six kilometers per hour while the level of humidity in the air would hover around 59 per cent.

To make matters worse, the department forecast hot and dry weather during the next 24 hours. 

Similarly, it was hot and humid in Karachi in the morning as the temperature rose to 31 degrees Celsius in the morning. 

Health experts have advised people to increase intake of water, avoid exposure to the sun, especially between 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM and take other measures to protect themselves from the effects of extreme heat.   

On Tuesday morning, winds were blowing in the city at a speed of 19 kilometers per hour, while the level of moisture in the air stood at 65 per cent. 

Elsewhere in Sindh, daytime temperatures are above the 45 degrees Celsius mark.

On Monday, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had forecast windstorms accompanied by rain in the upper and central parts of the country from May 27 (night) to May 31, with occasional gaps.

The department stated that moist currents are continuously penetrating the upper and central regions, while a westerly wave is likely to enter the upper parts of the country on May 28, triggering widespread weather activity.

Under the influence of this weather system, windstorm and rain-thunderstorms with isolated heavy falls and hailstorms are expected in Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mianwali, Sargodha, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Okara, Lahore, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sheikhupura, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Malakand, Mansehra, Battagram, Shangla, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Kohat, Karak and Waziristan.

In addition, windstorm with light to moderate rain-thunder is also expected in parts of Balochistan and South Punjab including Zhob, Ziarat, Barkhan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Multan, Bhakkar, Layyah, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Vehari, and Dera Ismail Khan from May 27 (evening/night) to May 30, with occasional gaps.

Reporters: Rana Faran Yamin, Ramsha Ismael and Hashir Warraich