LAHORE - Parts of the country remained in the grip of sultry weather on Friday with frequent tripping and unscheduled load shedding adding to the woes of heat stricken people.
Lack of rains, winds and abundance of sunshine caused considerable increase in the mercury level with high humidity making the weather oppressive, causing people to sweat profusely throughout the day.
People are likely to get respite from the prevailing muggy weather as monsoon incursions will give rains/thunderstorm during the coming week.
Dalbandin, Nokkandi and Noorpur Thal remained hottest places in the country where mercury rose as high as 46 degree Celsius. Maximum temperature in Bhakkar and Dadu was recorded 45 C, Sibbi and Bahawalnagar 44 C.
In Lahore, maximum and minimum temperature was recorded 43 C and 30 C respectively. Relative humidity in the evening was recorded 32 per cent. People avoided unnecessarily coming out, reducing traffic on otherwise busy roads at noon and in the afternoon. Lahore Canal, as usual, attracted a large number of people including women and children. Not only youth but also elderly people were seen bathing. At certain places, even women were seen beating the heat by taking a dip in the mud coloured canal water.
According to experts, seasonal low lies over North Balochistan and its trough extending southeastward. Weak moist currents are penetrating Kashmir and upper parts of Punjab.
Local meteorological department has forecasted mainly hot and humid weather for most parts of the country during the next couple of days. However, rain-thundershower is expected at isolated places in Kashmir, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Hazara divisions and lower Sindh.