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Met Office predicts below normal rains till June

By Kalbe Ali 2022-04-05
ISLAMABAD: The prevailing La Niña condition is likely to continue with a weak intensity till June and as a result below normal precipitation is predicted over most parts of the country during these months.

The below normal rainfall in March resulted in early summer like conditions and the high heat seems to have puzzled the flora and vegetation in Islamabad as the pollen discharge has subsided significantly well before the end of the spring season that is mid-April.

The average maximum temperature in the city in April is 30.5 degrees centigrade but the mean for the last four days was 33.8 degrees.

The Met Office said daytime temperature remained above normal all over the country in March.

The dry condition and high temperature during the last fortnight of March and in early April is expected to speed up the pollination process resulting in early offset of the pollen season in Islamabad.

Currently, only paper mulberry is discharging pollen and the high count of only 1,900 particles per cubic metre was recorded in H-8 whereas pollen release has almost stopped from grasses and other trees and flowering plants.

However, slight relief is expected in coming days as a high pressure condition created over most of the country due to hot and dry weather is inviting cool and moist winds from Central Asia.

The Met Office said that a shallow westerly wave was likely to enter Pakistan in two to three days, as result isolated rainfall along with thundershowers was expected in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan and adjoining areas from Thursday to early hours of Monday.

Hot and dry weather will continue in the plains areas of the country.

The prevailing dry period is helpful for the wheat crops which are in maturity stages in the plain areas of the country. The dry condition may be beneficial for harvesting process set to start later in the month.

But the conditions may increase the water demand of the standing Rabi crops like sugarcane etc.

And due to below normal snowfall during the winter months as well as below normal rainfall in the current season, water stress is predicted in major reservoirs for the forthcoming season.