LAHORE  - Plains of the country continued to sizzle in severe heat wave on Wednesday with experts predicting the prevailing harsh weather conditions to persist till mid June.
As weather remained extremely hot and dry in most parts of the country, frequent tripping and unscheduled loadshedding added to the woes of heat stricken people.
Low pressure prevailing over eastern parts of Arabian Sea is likely to move northwestward toward Oman coast in next couple of days that will extend heat wave to northern parts of the country.
Experts, however, have predicted decrease in the intensity of prevailing heat wave in Islamabad, upper Punjab, upper Khyber PK, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir from next Monday evening (June 16) due to scattered rains and dust storm.
Dadu remained hottest place in the country where mercury rose as high as 49 degree Celsius. Maximum temperature in Bhakkar and Sibbi was recorded 48 C, Noorpur Thal, Jaccobabad and Mianwali 47 C, Sukkur and Bahawalnagar 46 C, Mandi Bahauddin, Jehlum, Sialkot, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Dalbandin, Larkana and Turbat 45 C. 
In Lahore, maximum and minimum temperature was recorded 45 C and 29 C respectively. Relative humidity in the evening was recorded 21 per cent. People avoided unnecessarily coming out, decreasing 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 taking bath in the canal water. At certain places, even women were seen beating the heat by taking a dip in the mud coloured water.
According to the experts, seasonal low lies over Baluchistan and adjoining areas. A shallow westerly wave is prevailing over northern parts of the country. 
The meteorological department has forecast mainly hot and dry weather for most parts of the country during the next couple of days. However, rain/thunderstorm is expected at isolated places of Makran, Malakand division and Gilgit Baltistan.