December to be little rainier than normal

Islamabad: While forecasting the current month to be slightly more showery than normal, the Pakistan Meteorological Department has said there is a high likelihood of most parts of the country seeing two to three spells of rains coupled with thunderstorm and isolated hailstorm in December.

If the forecast is to be believed, the first rainy spell of the month will begin in the country today (Monday). It will last three to four days further lowering temperatures.

In a weather advisory issued in the shape of the ‘Monthly Outlook for December 2017’, a spokesman for the PMD said the global climate drivers such as El Nino Southern Oscillations and Indian Ocean Dipole were expected to remain neutral in December 2017 and that these conditions were likely to stay put all through the current winter season.

"On the basis of the prevailing global atmospheric and ocean conditions, slightly above normal rainfall is predicted in the upper parts and normal rest of the country during this month," he said.

The weatherman said two to three spells of rainfall were expected in different parts of the country in December with snow falling in the mountainous areas.

He added that shallow foggy conditions could prevail in the plains of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and upper parts of Sindh in the month.

The weatherman said the gradual fall in temperatures would cause the snow and glacier melt contribution to the Indus waters to be 'minimal' during the month.

He however said water availability would gradually improve due to the two to three moderate rainy spells in catchment areas.