ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast more rain and snowfall across large parts of the country from Sunday night through Tuesday, as a cold wave continues to grip several parts of the country.
The Met Office said a new westerly weather system is expected to enter western parts of Pakistan late Sunday, spreading to northern areas by Monday and bringing rain, strong winds and snowfall in mountainous regions.
According to the weather department, rain and thunderstorms with snowfall at scattered places are expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, Murree and the Galiyat areas.
In Balochistan, rain, wind and thunderstorms with snowfall are forecast for districts including Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Noshki, Harnai, Zhob, Kalat, Barkhan, Sibi, Loralai, Turbat, Gwadar, Jiwani, Kech, Awaran, Chaghi, Panjgur, Khuzdar, Washuk and Kharan from Sunday night into Monday.
Upper Sindh districts, including Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad and Dadu, are also likely to receive rain on January 26, the Met Office said.
Heavy snowfall warning
The weather department warned of moderate to heavy snowfall in parts of Gilgit-Baltistan, including Diamer, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche and Shigar, as well as in Kashmir’s Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Rawalakot and Haveli.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, districts such as Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Shangla, Kohistan, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Buner, Peshawar, Nowshera, Swabi, Malakand, Mardan, Kohat, Kurram, Khyber, Hangu, Bajaur, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Waziristan are also expected to experience rain and snowfall between January 26 and 27.
The Met Office cautioned that heavy snowfall could lead to road closures and slippery conditions in several hilly areas, including Naran, Kaghan, Murree, Galiyat, Hunza, Skardu and parts of Kashmir and Balochistan.
The weather department also warned of a risk of landslides and avalanches in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.
Tourists have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel during the forecast period.
Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad
Rain and thunderstorms are likely in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, as well as several districts of Punjab, including Chakwal, Attock, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Multan, Layyah, Bhakkar and Dera Ghazi Khan, with occasional breaks.
The PMD said Murree and Galiyat could receive snowfall, while light to moderate fog may develop in some plains during morning hours.
In Sindh, cold and partly cloudy weather is expected in most areas, with rain forecast in upper districts. The Met Office added that a cold wave in Karachi could persist for up to a week.
Temperatures drop below freezing
The PMD said cold and dry weather prevailed across most of the country over the past 24 hours, with very cold conditions in hilly areas.
The lowest temperatures recorded included minus 14 degrees Celsius in Leh, minus 9 in Astore, Kalam and Nathia Gali, and minus 5 in Quetta and Skardu.
The Met Office said the cold spell is likely to continue as the weather system moves across the country over the next two days.
