LAHORE: Above than normal rain has been witnessed in 12 out of 16 major cities in Punjab during July, said data compiled by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

According to the data, Bahawalpur city received 157 percent more than normal rains in July, followed by DG Khan 92 percent, Faisalabad 73 percent, Gujranwala 22 percent, Jhelum 46 percent, Khanpur 38 percent, Lahore airport area 163 percent, Lahore city area 106 percent, Multan 24 percent, Murree 15 percent, and Sahiwal 41 percent.

Meanwhile, Bahawalna gar, Islamabad, Sargodha and Sialkot are the only four cities where less than average rain occurred in July. The official data suggests that all four cities have received 30, 20, 15 and 41 percent less than normal rains during the month under discussion.

It is worth noting that rains have surged to the higher end during the current season in Punjab after staying below normal over the last three years. Most of the rains had occurred in Balochistan and Sindh last year, causing floods and forcing 33 million people out of their homes besides loss of agriculture crops and livestock at a large scale throughout the two provinces.

Regional Director PMD Shahid Abbas said the month of July has witnessed less than normal rains barring a few cities in Punjab, including Lahore. He said the most suitable city of Sialkot has registered 41 percent less rain in July compared with the corresponding period, which is enough to show that Punjab has not witnessed unusual rains in the first of the monsoon season.

Similar is the case of Islamabad city, he added. Shahid said the area of Lahore airport has gathered maximum rain throughout Punjab during the current month of July. A total of 504.5 millimetres of rain has occurred there so far, which is the highest quantity recorded in the province of Punjab so far, he maintained.

He said strong westerly winds are causing impressive rainy spells in specific cities and areas after mixing up with the monsoon currents from the Bay of Bengal. The westerly winds are cool enough that moisture needs to ascend at a higher altitude to get condensed and shower the areas wherever a cell is created, he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023