ISLAMABAD: The average temperature in the month of March in the federal capital and in many other parts of the country was higher than the traditional average and the met office has declared the changing pattern as the `new normal`.

The mercury level across the world is rising due to the impact of global climate change and a similar pattern is visible in Pakistan as well.

The highest average temperature in Islamabad last March was 25°C which isslightly above the traditional average of 24.6°C.

This pattern of a higher maximum temperature was witnessed in several areas of the country including Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi and most of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan.

However, the pattern was not that common in the northern parts of the country including Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Fata.

The average maximum temperature in Parachinar, Muzaffarabad, Gilgit and Skardu was lower than the traditional maximum temperature.

`These are clear signs of climate change. The average high temperature during March was higher due to it raining less,` said Dr Ghulam Rasul, DG Pakistan Meteorological Department.

`T hough there were three rain spells in March, the total rainf all was less than thenormal rainfall in the same month,` he explained.

Because of it raining less, the minimum temperature was also higher in Islamabad and the lowest temperature in Murree was 3.5°C, which is about two degrees higher than the traditional average lowest.

Despite it raining for over 11 days, total precipitation in Murree was 49.30 mm compared to the historic average of 181.2 mm in March over ten days.

Similarly, Islamabad received rainfall for 11 days when the historic average is nine days but the total precipitation accounted for only 16.47mm against the historic average of 87.7mm.

`The rain spells are the same but the rainfall has decreased. The clouds bzzle out when they cross over the hilly areas of the country,` a met office official said, explaining that this is the reason why the average maximum temperature in Marchhas been lower than the historic average in the northern areas.

The maximum temperature in the first three days of April this year was 33.5 °C, 34°C and 33°C respectively while the average minimum temperature was 30.5°C.

The met of fice has said a fresh westerly wave has entered Pakistani airspace and islikely to persistup to Thursday.

A hailstorm is expected in Islamabad, upper Punjab, upper KP and Kashmir between Tuesday evening and early morning on Thursday. Heavy rains are also expected in Malakad, Hazara and Kashmir.

Rain and thunderstorm along with gusty winds are expected in scattered placesinKP,Fata,Islamabad,Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Kashmir and GB. Three rain spells are expected in April, the same as April last year.