Dry weather is expected across most of Pakistan on 1 November, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s weekly outlook issued on 30 October, while Lahore continues to face hazardous smog. The combination of generally dry conditions nationally and severe air pollution in the provincial capital makes for a contrasting picture, with clear skies in many areas but unhealthy air in Lahore.
Nationally, the department expects dry weather over most of the country. The main exception is in the northern mountains, where light rain or snow is expected from 1 November in Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan and Mansehra. Those areas, with their higher altitude and mountainous terrain, are the first to experience wintry precipitation as the season changes, while the plains and southern regions remain dry. For travellers and residents in the north, the prospect of light rain or snow is a reminder to prepare for colder and more changeable conditions, even as the rest of the country stays dry.
In Lahore, the forecast is for dry weather, with a high temperature of around 30 degrees Celsius and a low of around 17 degrees. Wind is expected to be light, at around 2 kilometres per hour. Morning humidity is expected to be high, at 84 per cent, falling to around 69 per cent later in the day. Light wind and high morning humidity are conditions that can trap pollutants close to the ground, particularly in the early hours, and they help explain why smog tends to be worst in the morning and again in the evening.
The most serious concern in Lahore is air quality, which remained in the hazardous range through the day. Reporting of the exact readings varies by source, station and time of day, and that variation is itself important to understand. Dunya News put the city average smog reading at 475, with Allama Iqbal Town at 704 and Model Town at 481. UrduPoint, reporting APP, gave an overall air quality index of 448, with Iqbal Town at 617, Paragon City at 513, Model Town at 453, Chaman Park at 430, Barki Road at 427 and DHA Phase 5 at 324.
Those figures should not be reduced to a single definitive city reading. Different stations report different values because pollution levels vary across neighbourhoods, depending on traffic, industry, construction and local burning, and because readings change through the day as wind, temperature and humidity shift. The range reported, from the low 300s in DHA Phase 5 to over 700 in Allama Iqbal Town on one source’s figures, illustrates that variation clearly. What is consistent across both sources is the overall assessment: Lahore’s air was in the hazardous range, well above levels considered healthy.
Experts advised residents to wear masks and to avoid unnecessary travel, especially in the early morning and late evening. Those are the times when smog is typically at its worst, because cooler temperatures and calmer air allow pollutants to accumulate near the ground. The advice reflects the health risks associated with prolonged exposure to hazardous air, including eye and throat irritation and breathing difficulty. People with existing respiratory conditions, children and older adults are generally considered more vulnerable, although hazardous air affects everyone who breathes it for extended periods.
The advice to limit travel is practical as well as health related. Unnecessary journeys add to traffic, which itself contributes to pollution, and they increase the time individuals spend outdoors in poor air. By staying indoors where possible during the worst periods, and by wearing a mask when outside, residents can reduce their exposure, even if they cannot change the overall air quality in the city.
The Lahore smog situation, as reported on 1 November, is therefore best understood as a citywide problem with local variation. The city average readings reported, 475 by one source and 448 by another, both place Lahore firmly in the hazardous range, while individual station readings show how much conditions can differ from one neighbourhood to another. Residents are advised to follow expert guidance on masks and travel, particularly early in the morning and late in the evening, until conditions improve.
Source: Pakistan Meteorological Department, Dunya News, UrduPoint/APP.
