Above normal rains in Punjab cities in July

LAHORE: Many cities in Punjab received above normal rains as it was earlier predicted that rainfall during the months from March till August will increase this year.

The data of the first 18 days of July 2016 suggested that besides the increase in rain, the number of days of rainfall in different cities have also increased. Weather experts believe that as a result of global climate change, weather patterns are changing in the country as summers are expanding and winters are shrinking. They say wet seasons are becoming wetter and dry spell is getting drier.

According to the data, Gujranwala received the highest rainfall during the first 18 days of July. It said the total rainfall in the district during this period was 250.4 mm while the annual normal rainfall during this time in Gujranwala was 200.1 mm. The data shows that the number of rainy days have also increased to two days from the historic 1.7 days time period in previous years.

According to reports and data of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the annual rainfall in the months of January and February are reducing, rainfall in March, April, May, June, July and August are increasing while rainfall in September, October, November and December is decreasing.

To support this fact, rainfall data of some other big cities suggests that 211.3mm rainfall was recorded in Sialkot A/P, 151.7mm rainfall was recorded in Toba Tek Singh against the average rainfall of 71.7mm of previous years. The rainy days in Toba Tek Singh also increased to 6 from 4.8 days of previous year’s data.

Similarly, Okara received 146.1mm rainfall against 80.4 mm of previous year’s average rainfall in first 18 days of July. The rainy days in Okara also increased to 2 from 1.7 days. About 209mm rainfall was recorded in Noorpul Thal against the previous year’s 117.5mm rainfall. In Multan, though the rainfall was less than previous year but the number of rainy days increased to 5 from 4 days.

Mahr Sahibzad Khan, Lahore Met Office director, said that calculations suggested that in the coming years rainfall in January, February and March would decrease further while rainfall in April and May would increase. Rainfall in June, July and August will decrease and rainfall in September, October, November and December will increase slightly, the data predicted.

Met Office’s data shows that 162mm rainfall was recorded in Jhang against the previous year’s 88mm. The rainy days also increased to 7 from 5.4 days. In Bhakkar, 105.1mm rainfall was recorded against 83.4 mm of previous years. Rainy days in Bhakkar were increased to 9 from 7 days.

In Kasur, 115.4mm rain was recorded while the rainy days were increased to 9 from 6 days. In Joharabad, the rainy days increased to 8 from 6.8 days during which 53.5mm rain was recorded this year. In Bahawalpur, 16 mm rain was recorded against the 12.8mm rainfall of previous year. The rainy days have increased to 2 from 1.9 days.

Environmentalists believe that this trend may result in seasonal droughts, severe and prolonged droughts, frost, heavy rains, floods and flash floods, extreme temperatures, unusual rains, fog and strong winds, extreme summers, deficient seasonal rainfall, shortage of fresh/drinking water, extreme winters and diseases of malaria/dengue and allergy. They said that these impacts could damage water sector, agriculture sector (sowing and harvesting), tourism sector and health sector.