Karachi braces for showers today amid possible cyclone in North Arabian Sea

• Currently no direct threat to Pakistan’s coastal belt: Met Office.
• PMD says cyclone may bring strong winds, heavy rains across Sindh.
• Showers expected in Tharparkar, Umerkot, and Badin, it adds.
  

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Tuesday issued its forecast predicting light to moderate rain with thunderstorms and strong winds in the metropolis today.

The Met Office has forecast cloudy weather in the city over the next 24 hours, with chances of light to moderate rain at scattered places.

The maximum temperature is expected to range between 35 to 37 degrees Celsius, while the humidity levels in the city currently stand at 65%, with light winds blowing from the southeast.

The PMD has alsowarned that a well-marked low-pressure system lying over Gujarat, India, may intensify into a tropical cyclone after emerging into the northeast Arabian Sea around October 1, raising concerns of strong winds, heavy rains, and potential damage across parts of Sindh, The News reported.

According to the PMD’s Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Karachi, the low-pressure system is expected to move west-northwest and could strengthen into a depression once it enters the Arabian Sea near India’s Saurashtra region.

While officials clarified that there is currently no direct threat to Pakistan’s coastal belt, they cautioned that the system is being closely monitored for possible developments.

The National Weather Forecasting Centre in Islamabad said moist currents from the Arabian Sea are already penetrating southeastern Sindh, bringing widespread rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds to Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Sujawal, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Khairpur, Matiari, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, and Jamshoro from September 29 night until October 2.

Isolated moderate to heavy downpours are likely in Tharparkar, Umerkot, and Mirpurkhas during the period.

Earlier this month, Karachi witnessed heavy rains from September 8 to 10 that left large swathes of the city submerged, rivers overflowing, and hundreds of residents stuck.

The metropolis once again received light rain and patches of drizzle on September 16.