Karachi gets rain as PMD warns of more showers across southern and central Pakistan

KARACHI: Rain reached several parts of Karachi on Friday night as the Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast further showers in the city over the weekend and a wider spell of wet weather across southern and central Pakistan in the coming days.

According to the PMD forecast cited in an advisory, Karachi is likely to remain mostly cloudy on Saturday and Sunday, with chances of rain and thundershowers. During Friday night’s spell, heavy rain was reported on Shahrah-e-Faisal and in nearby areas, while Sohrab Goth also received intense rainfall. DHA Phase 6, North Nazimabad and Gulshan-e-Maymar, along with adjoining localities, also saw rain, and light drizzle was recorded on II Chundrigar Road and surrounding areas.

Wider monsoon system in effect

The Met Office said a low-pressure area was driving monsoon currents into southern and central parts of the country, producing widespread rain, windstorms and thundershowers, with isolated heavy falls expected from Saturday through July 27 in many areas.

In Sindh, the PMD said Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Sanghar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Hyderabad, Matiari, Jamshoro, Shaheed Benazirabad, Ghotki and Kashmore are expected to receive rain and thundershowers, with a few heavy falls, through July 27 with occasional gaps. It added that Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Sukkur, Qambar Shahdadkot, Larkana, Khairpur, Naushahro Feroze and Thatta are also likely to experience similar weather during the same period.

For Punjab, the department forecast rain, windstorms and thundershowers, accompanied by isolated heavy falls, in Islamabad, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Okara, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Vehari, Khanewal, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Kot Addu, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan and Khanpur through July 27. It also said Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Faisalabad, Khushab, Sargodha, Sialkot, Narowal, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Nankana Sahib and Chiniot are likely to see partly cloudy to cloudy conditions with rain and thundershowers through Saturday, with breaks in between.

Forecast for other regions

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PMD predicted partly cloudy to cloudy weather with rain and thundershowers in Upper and Lower Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Malakand, Nowshera, Charsadda, Karak, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Swabi, Shangla, Battagram and Buner through July 27. Similar conditions are also expected in Kohat, Kurram, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, North and South Waziristan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan and Hangu until July 27.

The advisory said isolated rain, windstorms and thundershowers are likely in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber and Mirpur through July 28, with occasional gaps. In Gilgit-Baltistan, Diamer, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche and Shigar are expected to have partly cloudy to cloudy weather with rain and thundershowers through Saturday.

For Balochistan, the Met Office forecast partly cloudy to cloudy weather with rain and thundershowers, including isolated heavy falls, in Zhob, Sherani, Loralai, Kohlu, Sibi, Naseerabad, Jhal Magsi, Jaffarabad, Barkhan, Dera Bugti, Awaran and Khuzdar through July 27.

Flooding and damage alerts

The PMD warned that heavy rain may trigger urban flooding in Gujranwala and Lahore on Saturday. It added that Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Sanghar, Khairpur, Mithi, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Sialkot, Multan and Faisalabad may also face urban flooding.

The department further cautioned that windstorms and lightning could damage vulnerable structures, including solar panels, electric poles and billboards, during the forecast period. It advised tourists and travellers to remain careful, and urged farmers to plan crop activities in line with the weather while ensuring proper care of livestock.