The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast rain in Karachi on Thursday, along with showers in other areas of Sindh over the rest of the week.

In its daily weather outlook issued on Wednesday, the PMD said that a westerly wave was “affecting southern parts and spread over most parts of the country today”.

It forecast partly cloudy weather in Karachi today, with a maximum temperature of 32-34 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 24.5°C. A separate statement by the PMD added that there was a chance of light rain or drizzle in some areas of the city.

The humidity was expected to reach 84 per cent in the morning before dropping to 45-55pc in the evening, with a west/southwesterly wind prevailing, it said.

On Thursday, mostly cloudy weather was expected in the city with “rain-wind or thunderstorm at isolated places”. The PMD predicted highs of 31-33°C and lows of 23-25°C with humidity levels of 75-85pc in the daytime, and a west/southwesterly wind.

Friday will bring mostly sunny weather, with mercury surging to 32-34°C during the day and dropping to between 23°C and 25°C at night. Humidity is expected to stay at the previous daytime levels before declining to 50-60pc in the evening, while a west/northwesterly wind is expected to turn west/southwesterly.

In its forecast, the PMD said mostly cloudy weather with “chances of rain-wind or thunderstorm” was expected in the Karachi division on March 28-29 (Saturday and Sunday) with occasional gaps.

Meanwhile, under the influence of the westerly wave, “rain-wind or thunderstorm with isolated hailstorm” was predicted in Sindh’s Ghotki, Larkana, Qamber Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Sukkur, Jamshoro, Naushahro Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad, Dadu, Hyderabad, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin and Matiari districts on Wednesday and Thursday, as well as on March 28 and 29 with “occasional gaps”.

The PMD warned that windstorms, hailstorms and lightning may damage weak structures such as electric poles, billboards and solar panels during the forecast period. Lightning strikes may occur at isolated places, it added.

It further warned of damage to standing crops due to hail and wind, advising farmers to manage their crops according to the prevailing weather conditions.

The PMD on Monday had predicted rainfall and thunderstorms across the country from March 24-30 with “occasional gaps” due to a western disturbance approaching the southwestern parts of Balochistan.

Last week, 20 people died and eight were injured as a result of a thunderstorm that swept through Karachi, the city police said.