PMD forecasts rain, thunderstorms in upper parts on Friday, warns of urban flooding and landslides

ISLAMABAD, Jul 02 (APP): The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast rain-windstorms and thundershowers in Kashmir, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northeastern Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday. While hot and dry weather is expected to prevail over the rest of the country.

The Met Office warned that heavy rainfall during Thursday night could trigger landslides in vulnerable areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Murree, Galliyat and Kashmir, besides causing flash flooding in local streams and nullahs.

Flash floods may also occur in hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan and local nullahs in northeastern Balochistan.

It said heavy rains could lead to urban and flash flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Nowshera, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujranwala, Lahore and Faisalabad during the forecast period.

The PMD further cautioned that windstorms and lightning could damage vulnerable structures, including solar panels, electricity poles and billboards.

In Islamabad, hot weather is expected during the day, while rain accompanied by gusty winds and thunderstorms is likely during the morning and night hours.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rain-windstorms and thundershowers are expected in Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Chitral, Battagram, Buner, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Malakand, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Peshawar, Hangu, Kurram and Waziristan, while other districts are likely to remain hot and dry.

In Punjab, rain is expected in Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Khushab, Lahore, Okara, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Sialkot and Narowal. Rain-windstorms may also occur in Bhakkar, Layyah, Mianwali and Dera Ghazi Khan during the evening and night, while the remaining districts are expected to experience hot and dry weather.

Sindh is likely to remain very hot and humid, although partly cloudy conditions are expected along coastal areas. Rain with gusty winds and thunderstorms may occur in Shahdadkot, Dadu, Sukkur and Jacobabad during the evening and night.

Most districts of Balochistan are expected to remain very hot and dry. However, rain-windstorms and thundershowers are likely in Zhob, Sherani, Naseerabad, Sibi, Musakhel, Barkhan and Khuzdar during the evening and night.

Partly cloudy weather with rain-windstorms and thundershowers is expected in Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, with isolated heavy rainfall also likely in Kashmir.

During the last 24 hours, rain-windstorms and thundershowers, including isolated heavy falls, occurred in Punjab, Islamabad, Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northeastern Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan, while hot and humid weather prevailed over the rest of the country.

Murree received the highest rainfall of 72 millimetres, followed by Islamabad Airport 48mm, Golra 39mm and Lahore’s Nishtar Town 38mm.

The highest maximum temperature recorded in the country on Thursday was 46 degrees Celsius in Dalbandin, followed by Nokkundi at 45C, while Sibbi and Dadu recorded 44C each.