The Meteorological Department on Saturday forecasted rain in various upper regions of the country, including central Punjab and parts of interior Sindh. Meanwhile, hot and humid weather is expected to persist across most districts of Sindh and Balochistan.
According to Met Office updates, intermittent rain, accompanied by gusty winds and isolated thunderstorms, has already lashed several cities in northern Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, offering a welcome respite from the intense summer heat that had gripped the region in recent days.
In Islamabad, skies remained partly cloudy, with the possibility of heavy downpours in isolated areas. Rain was also anticipated in a few locations within Chitral, Dir, Swat, Haripur, Abbottabad, and Mansehra, while similar conditions were forecasted for Malakand, Shangla, Kohistan, and Peshawar. Despite these showers in some areas, the Met Office added that most districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab remained hot and humid.
In the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, rainfall commenced early in the morning and continued intermittently throughout the day. Samaa correspondent Umar Asif reported from Rawalpindi that low-lying areas experienced minor water accumulation, but the overall civic infrastructure largely held up.
Downpour Brings Relief to Lahore
Earlier, scattered showers provided much-needed relief to Lahore, where temperatures had soared as high as over the past week. A fresh spell of rain in the morning brought the mercury down significantly to , leading to a marked improvement in weather conditions.
According to Omar Yaqoob, reporting for Samaa from Lahore, the city experienced strong winds followed by rainfall across various localities, including Airport Road, Upper Mall, Garhi Shahu, Gulberg, Laxmi Chowk, and Model Town. Citizens warmly welcomed the sudden change in weather, describing it as a “rain of mercy” after weeks of oppressive heat and high humidity. “The heat had made life miserable. Today’s rain feels like a blessing,” said a resident of Laxmi Chowk, speaking to local media.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department stated that the ongoing rain spell in Lahore is expected to continue for the next twelve hours. Concurrently, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued an alert, indicating that rainfall this monsoon season could exceed 25% above normal levels.
Forecast for Punjab and Sindh
Heavy rainfall is also anticipated in parts of central Punjab, encompassing Murree, Galiyat, Attock, Talagang, Chakwal, Jhelum, Sargodha, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, and Okara. Interior Sindh could experience scattered rain, though no major showers are forecasted for Karachi and the coastal regions. The weather will remain dry and hot in most districts of Balochistan.
Authorities have advised caution in flood-prone and low-lying areas and have urged citizens to stay updated through official weather bulletins.
