LAHORE, Dec 16: The first winter rain in Lahore on Tuesday provided relief to people as the maximum temperature dropped by nine degrees Celsius, making it the coldest day of the season.

Doctors considered the rain and the resultant low temperature as a good omen because they believed that this would kill mosquitoes causing dengue and provide a natural cure to the menace.

It remained heavily overcast throughout the day, and the light rain fell in the city before noon. The maximum temperature dropped from Monday’s 24 degrees Celsius to just 15 degrees Celsius, making people wear warm clothes. Monday night’s minimum temperature was four degrees Celsius and it dropped on Tuesday night.

According to the Met office, a westerly wave which entered Pakistan through Afghanistan was affecting Balochistan, Sindh, north Punjab and the Northern Areas. It generated rain over these regions and was expected to persist during the next three days.

The Met office said it would remain cloudy to partly cloudy in Lahore during the next 24 hours. It expected scattered thunderstorm and rain over the NWFP, the Northern areas, Kashmir and north Punjab with snowfall over the hills.