Karachi likely to be hit by heavy rains, thunderstorms in 24 hours: Met Office

• Karachi likely to receive heavy showers coupled with gusty winds on July 3 and 4.
• Strong winds at around the speed of 81 kilometres per hour may blow ahead of the downpour.
• Maximum temperature in the metropolis expected to remain between 34 and 36 degrees Celsius.

KARACHI: The first spell of monsoon rains is likely to hit Karachi from today evening, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast on Saturday.

The port city is likely to receive heavy showers coupled with gusty winds on July 3 and 4, said the Met Office, adding that strong winds at around the speed of 81 kilometres per hour may blow ahead of the downpour.

A second monsoon is expected to enter the country from July 7, said the weather office.

The minimum temperature in the metropolis was recorded at 30 degrees and the maximum is expected to range between 34 and 36 degrees. The humidity level stands at 66% as of this morning.

In a statement, PMD said: “Humid and partly cloudy weather is expected in most districts of the country with rain-wind-thundershowers in Kashmir, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, lower Sindh and eastern Balochistan [today].”

The Met Office said that monsoon rains have started in the country with the initial spells in parts of Northeast Punjab, Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. More thundershowers with isolated heavy falls are expected in these parts in the coming days.

Strong monsoon currents are also likely to enter southeastern parts of Sindh and Balochistan from today.

Under the influence of this weather system:

• Rain-thundershowers with heavy to very heavy falls are expected in Tharparkar, Umerkot, Sanghar, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Thatta, Hyderabad, Tando M. Khan, Tando Allayar, Karachi, Dadu and Jamshoro districts from July 2-5.
• Rain-thundershowers with isolated heavy falls are expected in Shaheed Benazirabad, Noshero Feroz, Sukkur, Larkana, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Qambar Shahdadkot, Ghotki and Kashmore districts during the period.
• Rain-thundershowers with heavy to very heavy falls are expected in Khuzdar, Barkhan, Lasbella, Kohlu, Sibbi, Awaran, Naseerabad, Panjgur from July 2-5.
• Rain-thunderstorm with few heavy falls are expected in Quetta, Zhob, Dalbandin, Nokkundi, Noshki, Qila Saifullah, Mastung, Kalat and Coastal belt (Gawadar, Pasni & Ormara) during the period.

The Met Office warned that the heavy downpour may cause urban flooding in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Khuzdar, Ormara, Pasni and Gawadar during the forecast period.

Heavy falls may generate flash flooding in local Nullahs/Rivers of Barkhan, Zhob, Sibbi, Panjgur, Kohlu, Naseerabad, Nagarparkar and Dadu, it added. 

Windstorms may damage loose structures of vulnerable locations in Sindh and Balochistan, warned the PMD.