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Winter chill is in the air in Islamabad after light rain, leading to a marked drop in temperature
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The twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi received light rain with the thunderstorm on Sunday afternoon, offering relief to the residents from dust and dry weather that lasted over a month.
The Met Office recorded 7mm of rain in Islamabad, 2mm in Rawalpindi and 13mm in Murree.
“This Sunday’s rain is a blessing for residents of Islamabad as it would help to bring down dust particles which are causing severe allergies,” said a resident of Islamabad, Ayesha Hamid. She has been suffering from the dust allergy for the past two weeks.
Allergic Rhinitis or Hay Fever is one of the most common allergies in Pakistan, affecting 24.62 per cent Pakistanis which is triggered in this season by both outdoor and indoor allergens.
“The weather was making it unbearable to breathe and I have to take regular medicines” she said, hoping that rain will make the situation better for people suffering from allergies.
Most of the citizens are delighted to see the change in weather and are preparing for the winter season by taking out sweater, coats and blankets.
However, the director general of Pakistan Meteorological Department (MET) Dr Ghulam Rasul told media that rain in Islamabad and Rawalpindi was a part of the extension of a westerly wave.
“It is not the harbinger of a change in the weather from summer to winter. We do not call it the first winter rain as we are in a transition period of weather,” he said. October and November were considered as the transition period of a weather change during which less rain was recorded in the region, he added.
The minimum temperature in Islamabad was recorded at 13° Celsius, 14° Celsius in Rawalpindi and 11° Celsius in Murree.
The Met department forecast that Islamabad and Rawalpindi could receive additional showers with thunderstorm and gusty winds at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, upper Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan over the next 24 hours. However, the PMD expects the weather to remain hot and dry in the plain areas of the country.
During the long dry spell, surface and groundwater levels in rivers, nullahs and natural streams had dropped to disturbing levels. A number of natural streams and springs had dried up particularly in the Potohar and Kashmir region.
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