Rain and drizzle swept across parts of Punjab and Balochistan on Saturday morning, bringing cooler weather and improving air quality after a long dry spell.
In Punjab, light rain was reported in Lahore’s areas like Township, Johar Town, and Canal Road. Other cities, including Kharian, Multan, and Sahiwal, also enjoyed showers.
Shikarpur faced intermittent thundershowers, causing flooding in low-lying areas. Heavy rain led to power outages as feeders tripped, leaving many areas in Sindh without electricity.
On Friday, regions in the north and west of the country experienced rain due to a weather system moving in from Afghanistan. Balochistan saw hailstorms and heavy rainfall in cities like Quetta, Chaman, Kalat, Qila Abdullah, and Chaghai.
Despite the rain improving air quality, Lahore’s air quality index (AQI) remained dangerously high. On Saturday, Lahore ranked as the world’s second most polluted city with an AQI of 298, following New Delhi’s AQI of 461. Nearby areas such as Raiwind recorded an AQI of 676, while Johar Town, Ghazi Road Interchange, and MM Alam Road had AQI levels of 368, 291, and 287, respectively.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department predicted Lahore’s temperature would reach 22°C during the day, with a minimum of 13°C. The city’s humidity stood at 74%, and light winds blew at 6 km/h.
In Multan, pollution levels slightly decreased, but the city still recorded an AQI of 400, ranking as Pakistan’s fourth most polluted city. The humidity level there was 85%, and the maximum temperature was expected to hit 25°C.
