KEY POINTS
- Weather department forecasts rain, wind, and thunderstorms from November 4 to 5.
- The upcoming rainfall is expected to ease dense smog and air pollution.
- Health experts say rain will help clear the atmosphere, reducing respiratory illnesses.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s meteorological department on Monday forecast a spell of rain from November 4, expected to end weeks of dry weather that have worsened smog, air pollution, and respiratory illnesses across major cities, including Lahore and Islamabad.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said a westerly weather system will enter Pakistan on the night of November 3 and persist until November 5, bringing rain, wind, and snowfall in the upper regions and causing a significant drop in temperatures across northern and central areas.
This long-awaited rainfall is likely to provide relief from the dense smog and air pollution that have severely affected Punjab in recent weeks.
The persistent dry and stagnant weather, combined with vehicular and industrial emissions, had led to hazardous air quality levels in major cities, including Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, and Islamabad, triggering respiratory infections, eye irritation, and other pollution-related diseases.
Health experts have welcomed the forecast, saying that the upcoming rains could act as a natural cleanser for the atmosphere, washing away pollutants and temporarily improving air quality.
“Even a short spell of widespread rain can significantly reduce particulate matter in the air, easing breathing difficulties and lowering the risk of respiratory illnesses,” a senior pulmonologist in Islamabad said.
According to the weather department, rain, windstorms, and thunderstorms, with snowfall over mountainous regions, are expected in wide areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Chitral, Swat, Dir, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, and the Galliyat region, as well as parts of Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and northern Punjab.
The weather system will also affect Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Attock, Chakwal, Talagang, Jhelum, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, and Lahore on November 4, with isolated hailstorms in some areas.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Lahore, noted that the daytime temperatures will fall sharply during and after the rain, while fog and smog conditions are likely to dissipate temporarily before redeveloping later in the month.
Farmers have been advised to adjust agricultural activities according to the forecast, while travellers and tourists have been urged to exercise caution in hilly areas due to the risk of slippery roads and reduced visibility.
The department also warned that windstorms, hailstorms, and lightning could damage weak structures or power lines in exposed regions.
Environmental experts say the expected rainfall could bring short-term relief from smog, but emphasize the need for long-term measures to curb emissions and manage industrial and vehicular pollution to prevent the recurrence of hazardous air conditions.
