Rain is expected in parts of northeastern Punjab, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Kashmir.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has said that Karachi is experiencing cloudy conditions in the early hours, while the rest of the country is likely to remain hot and humid throughout the day.

Nokkundi recorded the country’s highest temperature on Friday at 45 degrees Celsius. Dalbandin, Jacobabad and Dadu followed at 44 degrees, with Sukkur at 43. Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sargodha and Chilas recorded 41 degrees each, Muzaffarabad stood at 39 and Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta and Gilgit all recorded 38 degrees Celsius.

PMD has predicted that a fresh monsoon spell will begin across the country from the first week of July. In an advisory issued on Monday, the department stated that a westerly wave is likely to enter the upper parts of the country from June 30, while moist currents from the Arabian Sea continue penetrating the eastern and central regions. Moist currents from the Bay of Bengal are expected to reach the upper parts from July 2.

PMD cautioned that scattered rain, windstorms and thundershowers with isolated heavy falls are expected across several regions between July 1 and July 6.

In Azad Kashmir, Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber and Mirpur are expected to receive rainfall from July 1 to July 6.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is forecast to see rain across Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Peshawar, Mardan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Bajaur, Mohmand, Waziristan and Bannu, among other districts, from July 1 to July 5 with occasional gaps.

Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Sargodha and surrounding districts in Punjab are expected to receive rain from July 1 to July 6, while southern Punjab districts including Multan, Bahawalpur, DG Khan, Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur are likely to see rain from July 3 to July 5.

In Gilgit-Baltistan, rain and thunderstorms are forecast in Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche and Shigar from July 1 to July 5.

Northern and northeastern Balochistan, including Zhob, Kohlu, Sibbi, Harnai and Dera Bugti, are expected to receive rainfall from July 1 to July 4, while parts of Sindh including Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad and Ghotki are forecast to see rain on July 3 and July 4.