• Intermittent showers continue, with some pockets receiving heavy downpours.
• Strong winds accompany rain, creating unsettled weather conditions.
• Gulshan-e-Iqbal,  Gulistan-e-Johar, Federal B Area also hit by rain.

KARACHI: Rain accompanied by thunder and lightning continued across several parts of Karachi on the first day of Eid ul Fitr, with sporadic to heavy showers reported in multiple areas, turning the metrpololis’s weather pleasant in the wee hours of Saturday.

Malir, Shah Faisal Colony, Saddar and along II Chundrigar Road and adjoining localities received rainfall at intervals, with some places experiencing heavier spells. 

Federal B Area also witnessed heavy rain along with strong winds, while Malir Halt, Rifa-e-Aam and nearby areas reported downpours accompanied by thunder and lightning.

Rain was also recorded in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Gulistan-e-Johar as clouds covered parts of the city and intermittent showers continued.

In Defence View, power supply was disrupted soon after the rain began, causing inconvenience to residents. 

Water accumulation was reported in low-lying areas of Saddar and surrounding neighbourhoods as the rain persisted, with showers also exacerbating the commuters’ woes due to inundated roads in several areas across the metropolis, leading to traffic flow disruptions due to potholes and deteriorated roads.

Traffic flow was affected due to accumulated rainwater near Nipa Chowrangi with town administration’s efforts underway to drain the water. Rainwater has been accumulated at various sections of the University Road including Hassan Square.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast thunderstorms in the metropolis today.

Heat intensity is likely to decrease due to rain, said the Met Office, adding that the maximum temperature is likely to reach 31 degrees Celsius.

“Rain will continue intermittently until tonight,” noted the PMD.

Meanwhile, skies are likely to remain cloudy on the second and third days of Eid.

The PMD’s statistics show that Jinnah Terminal recorded highest rainfall of 13.22 millimetres, followed by 11.4mm in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and 11mm at PAF Masror Base.

Old Airport area recorded 10.8mm downpour, 9.7mm in Nazimabad, 8mm at Faisal Base, 4mm in Korangi and 2.6mm in Surjani Town.

A day earlier, the Met Office said the port city was likely to stay dry over the next 24 hours, but rain with thunder and lightning may return to the city’s outskirts on the first day of Eid as a westerly system affects most parts of the country.

The weather remained cool in Karachi at night after two days of rain in the city, the Met Office said. It added that rain is also likely in other parts of Sindh on the first day of Eid, including Sukkur, Jacobabad, Larkana, Hyderabad and along the province’s coastal belt. There is also a risk of lightning strikes during the rain.

The PMD said rain is also likely in Kamber Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Jamshoro, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Matiari, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Naushahro Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad and Dadu. Farmers have been advised to manage their crops according to the prevailing weather conditions.

The department said the sky is likely to remain cloudy in Karachi on the second and third days of Eid. According to the Karachi division forecast, the sky is likely to remain cloudy on the second day of Eid and partly cloudy on the third day.

Saturday’s minimum temperature is forecast at 17 to 19°C, with morning humidity between 80% and 90% and evening humidity between 50% and 60%.

On Sunday, the maximum temperature is likely to rise to 31°C to 33°C, while the minimum temperature is expected to remain between 20 and 22°C. 

Winds on both days are expected to remain west to southwesterly. It added that another spell of westerly winds may affect the country between March 24 and 27, with chances of rain in Karachi and elsewhere in Sindh during that period as well.

In Punjab, rain is likely on Friday (today) in most districts, the Meteorological Department said.

Rain is expected in Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Narowal, while Jhelum, Hafizabad, Lahore and Dera Ghazi Khan may also receive rain. There is also a possibility of hail at some places in the province.

The Met Office said 8mm of rain was recorded in Lahore on Thursday. The city’s maximum temperature is likely to remain 23°C.