KARACHI: The port city is likely to receive the first spell of pre-monsoon rainfall on June 22 or 23, said Dr Sardar Sarfaraz, the chief meteorologist at the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
Sardar Sarfaraz said that Karachi is expected to receive light to moderate showers during the first spell of pre-monsoon rains.
“Monsoon downpours are expected to formally start in Karachi in end-June or in the initial days of July [this year],” he added.
The country is likely to receive 10% to 30% more rains this year as compared to the previous seasons, he said.
‘Above-average rainfall’
On June 7, the PMD warned that the country is expected to receive “above average rainfall” during the upcoming monsoon season this year.
In a statement, the Met Office had said that monsoon season is expected to begin during the last week of this month (June) while pre-monsoon rains are likely to start in the second week of June.
The first phase of the monsoon is likely to continue from July 1 to mid-August, while the last phase of the season will continue until the end-September.
The country is likely to receive 140.8mm of rain during the July-September period. The PMD had also warned that heavy rainfalls may trigger urban flooding in different areas of the country and landsliding in hilly areas.
The unusually high temperatures will likely enhance the melting rate of snow and ice in northern areas, it had added.
