PMD forecasts nationwide monsoon rainfall from first week of July
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said on Monday that a fresh monsoon spell was set to begin in the country from the first week of July. Monsoon rains fall across the region from June to September, offering respite from the summer heat and are crucial to replenishing water supplies. However, heavy downpours also trigger deadly floods, landslides and displacement, particularly in vulnerable, poorly drained, or densely populated areas. In an advisory, the department said that a westerly wave was likely to enter the upper parts of the country from June 30. At the same time, “moist currents from the Arabian Sea are continuously penetrating the eastern and central parts of the country”. It added that moist currents from the Bay of Bengal were expected to reach the upper parts from July 2. Under the influence of this system, the PMD predicted that scattered rain, windstorm/thundershower, accompanied by isolated heavy falls, were expected in Neelum valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, and Mirpur from July 1 to July 6. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it said scattered rain, windstorm/thundershower (with isolated heavy falls) was expected in Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Malakand, Nowshera, Charsadda, Karak, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Swabi, Shangla, Battagram, Buner, Kohat, Kurram, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Hangu, Waziristan, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan from July 1 to July 5 with occasional gaps. Rainfall was also predicted from July 1 to July 6 in Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Faisalabad, Khushab, Sargodha, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, and Narowal. Meanwhile, Sahiwal, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Pakpattan, Nankana Sahib, Chiniot, Okara, Kasur, Noor Pur Thal, Bhakkar, Layyah, Mianwali, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, DG Khan, Multan, Khanewal, Lodhran, Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur were slate