Widespread rains forecast

KARACHI: Pakistan Meteorological Department on Monday forecast widespread rains, wind and thunderstorms with isolated heavy falls and hailstorm across the country over the coming days, as a westerly wave is expected to approach southwestern Balochistan on April 1 and persist through April 4.

The weather system is predicted to affect all provinces and regions, though onset times and intensity vary by area.

Balochistan will be the first to feel the system’s impact, with rain, wind and thunderstorms — along with isolated heavy falls and hailstorm — expected from the evening of April 1 through April 4 with occasional gaps. Affected districts include Panjgur, Turbat, Kech, Awaran, the Makran coast (Gawadar, Pasni, Ormara), Lasbella, Khuzdar, Kharan, Chaghi, Dalbandin, Kalat, Sibbi, Kohlu, Barkhan, Naseerabad, Quetta, Loralai, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Noushki, Harnai, Zhob and Mastung.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can expect rain, wind and thunderstorms with snowfall over the mountains from the night of April 1 through April 4. Isolated heavy falls and hailstorm are also likely during the period. Districts under the forecast include Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Shangla, Buner, Kohistan, Malakand, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Balakot, Haripur, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Kurram, Swabi, Charsadda, Kohat, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Tank, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Dera Ismail Khan and Waziristan.

Punjab and Islamabad are forecast to receive rain, wind and thunderstorms with isolated hailstorm from the night of April 1 through April 4 with occasional gaps. Heavy falls are additionally expected in Dera Ghazi Khan and surrounding areas. Cities and districts in the forecast include Murree, Galiyat, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Sargodha, Mianwali, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Khushab, Noorpur Thal, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Pakpattan, Okara, Kasur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Bhakkar, Layyah, Multan, Kot Addu, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan.

Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir will see rain, wind and thunderstorms with snowfall over the mountains from the night of April 1 through April 4, with occasional gaps. Hailstorm and heavy falls are likely at isolated places in Kashmir during the period. Affected areas in Gilgit-Baltistan include Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Guanche and Shigar, while in Kashmir the forecast covers Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber and Mirpur.

Sindh is expected to receive rain, wind and thunderstorms with isolated hailstorm from April 2 through April 4 with occasional gaps. Districts in the forecast include Karachi, Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Dadu, Kashmore, Jacobabad, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad and Tharparkar.

PMD has warned of several hazards associated with the system. Landslides may occur in vulnerable hilly areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. Flash flooding is expected in northeast Balochistan — covering Khuzdar, Awaran, Kharan, Kalat, Mastung, Kohlu, Lasbella, Zhob, Qilla Saifullah, Qilla Abdullah and Sherani — as well as in the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan and in the local streams and nullahs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts including Kurram, Khyber, Mohmand, Bajaur, Dir, Swat, Malakand, Kohistan and Chitral, from April 2 through April 4.

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