PMD forecasts widespread rains, strong winds across country

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Thursday forecast more widespread rain with windstorm in all across the country during the next 24 hours.

In a statement, the Met Office said heavy rainfall is likely in Sindh, northeast/south Balochistan, northeast/central Punjab, Potohar region, Islamabad, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Kashmir during the said period.

As per synoptic situation, deep depression was present over Rann of Kutch, India and lies at a distance of 270km east/southeast of Karachi, and likely to intensify into a Cyclonic storm during next 24 hours.

A westerly wave was also affecting upper parts of the country.

“Widespread rain/wind-thunderstorms with scattered heavy-very heavy to isolated extremely heavy falls likely in Tharparker, Badin, Thatta, Sajawal, Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allah Yar, Matiari, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Jamshoro, Dadu and Shaheed Benazirabad districts and Karachi division till August 31 with occasional gaps,” it added.

The PMD also warned that torrential rains may generate pluvial flood/inundation in low lying areas of Sindh, Balochistan and southern Punjab till August 31.

Torrential rains may generate flash flooding in hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan and local nullahs/streams of Karachi, Hyderabad, Dadu, Kalat, Khuzdar, Jaffarabad, Sibbi, Naseerabad, Barkhan, Loralai, Awaran, Panjgur, Washuk, Mastung and Lasbela.

Heavy rains may trigger landslides in Murree, Galliyat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Heavy downpour may also cause urban flooding in low lying areas of Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Multan, Sahiwal, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Nowshera, Swabi and Peshawar.

During the last 24 hours, rain-wind/thundershower with isolated heavyfall occurred in Sindh, upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Punjab, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and northeast Balochistan.

The highest maximum temperatures recorded were Sibbi 43C, Dalbandin and Turbat 41C.

Cyclonic storm — Asna

Earlier in the day, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warned that a severe low pressure system over the Arabian Sea is likely to transform into a cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours.

PMD's Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfaraz indicated that if the low-pressure system does develop into a cyclonic storm, it will be named "Asna", which means "highest" and "brighter".

A cyclonic storm during the monsoon season is very unusual, Sarfaraz said, noting that this is the first time since 1961 that such a weather system is directed towards Sindh's coastal belt from Central India.

"During monsoon, there is approximately 1% or 2% chance for a depression or low pressure to turn into a cyclonic storm or tropical cyclone." meteorologist Anjum Nazir told Geo News.