LAHORE - Parts of the country received scattered rains, dust raising winds on Saturday with experts predicting the prevailing instable weather conditions to persist during the current week.  Dust thunderstorm/rain occurred at isolated places of Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Malakand, Quetta divisions, Islamabad and Kashmir. Cloudiness, scattered showers and dust storm caused considerable decrease in the mercury level during the day and at nighttime, reducing the intensity of prevailing heat wave in most parts of the country.  As per the experts, the prevailing instable weather conditions would persist in most parts of the country with intervals in the current month that would bring above normal rainfall. More rains, dust storm and lack of sunshine would help maintaining mercury to a low level and as such May would not be a usual hot month.
On Saturday, Turbat and Shaheed Benazirabad remained hottest places in the country where mercury rose as high as 44 degree Celsius. Maximum and minimum temperature in Lahore was recorded 33 C and 23 C respectively. Relative humidity in the evening was recorded 34 per cent.
According to the experts, western disturbance is affecting upper and central parts of the country. A low lies over central parts of the country.
Local meteorological department has forecast dust thunderstorm/rain associated with gusty winds at scattered places of Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Punjab, Khyber PK, Baluchistan (Quetta, Zhob, Kalat divisions), upper Sindh (Sukkur, Larkana divisions during the next couple of days.
On Saturday, Malamjabba received 21 mm rain, Joharabad 12 mm, Murree 10 mm, Rawalakot 09 mm, Islamabad 08 mm, Rahim Yar Khan 07 mm and Bhakkar 04 mm.