Pakistan braces for widespread rain and snowfall as severe weather system approaches

ISLAMABAD, Jan 21 (APP): The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a comprehensive weather forecast and warnings as a significant weather system is set to bring widespread rain, thunderstorms, and heavy snowfall across the country from January 22-23.
According to the forecast, the weather system will affect multiple provinces including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan.
The meteorological department has specifically warned that moderate to heavy rain and snow is expected in upper parts of the country during evening and night hours.
The department has issued warnings for several regions. Heavy rainfall and snowfall on January 22 may cause slippery road conditions and flash flooding in local streams and nullahs in Balochistan’s districts including Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Noushki, Harnai, and Zhob.
More extensive warnings have been issued for January 22-23 for northern areas including Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Chitral, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Murree, Galliyat, Neelum valley, Bagh, Poonch, Haveli, and Rawalakot, where heavy rain and snowfall may lead to road closures and hazardous driving conditions.
The meteorological department has particularly emphasized the risk of flash flooding in local streams and nullahs across upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir, along with the possibility of landslides and avalanches in hilly areas during this period.
Tourists have been specifically advised to exercise extreme caution and avoid unnecessary travel during the forecast period.
For Islamabad, cloudy weather is expected with intermittent rain, wind, and thunderstorms likely during the afternoon, while heavy rain and hailstorms may occur at isolated places during evening and night hours.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will experience widespread intermittent rain, wind, thunderstorms, and snow across all major districts including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Peshawar, and surrounding areas, with heavy rain and hailstorms expected at several locations and moderate to heavy snow in upper regions.
Punjab province will see cold and cloudy conditions with widespread intermittent rain, wind, and thunderstorms expected across major cities including Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, and numerous other districts during the afternoon.
Heavy rain and hailstorms may also occur in upper districts during evening and night hours.
The hill stations of Murree and Galiyat will experience cold and cloudy weather with intermittent rain, wind, thunderstorms, and snowfall, potentially moderate to heavy during evening and night.
In Sindh, cold and cloudy weather is expected across most of the province, with rain, wind, and thunderstorms forecast for cities including Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, and other major urban centers.
Balochistan will face widespread intermittent rain, wind, thunderstorms, and snowfall over hills across numerous districts, with heavy rain and snow particularly likely in Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, and surrounding areas.
Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are expected to experience cloudy conditions accompanied by intermittent rain, wind, thunderstorms, and snow, with moderate to heavy precipitation possible during the forecast period.
Over the past 24 hours, cold and dry weather prevailed over most parts of the country, with very cold and partly cloudy conditions in hilly areas.
Rain and snow occurred only in Kalam, which recorded 4 millimeters of rainfall and 2 inches of snowfall.
Fog patches were observed over several districts of Punjab, upper Sindh, and plain areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The lowest minimum temperature recorded was -10 degrees Celsius in Leh, followed by -6 degrees in Gupis, and -5 degrees in Bagrote and Parachinar.