ISLAMABAD: Monsoon rain predicted at the start of this week has been delayed two days by strong and abnormal weather developments in the country’s south and southwest.

The Met Office has predicted heavy rainfall and thunder on Thursday and Friday because of unusual weather developments on the east and west of the country.

Previously, the Pakistan Meteorological Department had predicted active rainfall from Sunday to Tuesday.

The Met Office has said that an extraordinary high pressure development in the Arabian Gulf region was affecting atmospheric conditions over Iran and as a result, acting as a blockage for the flow of cool western winds towards South Asia.

At the same time, high pressure activity was developing over the Tibetan plateau which will mature by Thursday and Friday, and is expected to strengthen gradually.

“As a result, monsoon will attain its active phase from the coming weekend, pushing strong monsoon currents towards Pakistan through the monsoon trough,” the Met Office said.

Monsoon winds enter the country from the east and northeast. In the coming days, rain and wind-thunderstorms are expected at scattered places across country including in the Zhob, Kalat, Makran, Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana divisions.

The strong weather system coming from the Bay of Bengal in the southeast after striking the Himalayas could bring heavy falls in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Rawalpindi and Islamabad, central and northern Punjab, Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu and D.I. Khan.

Hot and humid weather conditions are expected in south Punjab and most of Sindh.

The heaviest rainfall recorded on Monday and Tuesday was 31 millimetres in Kakul, followed by 22mm in Badin and 21mm in Tandojam. The highest temperature recorded on Tuesday was 45°C in Sibbi and Dadu.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2019