KARACHI: The Met Office on Saturday issued a weather forecast, indicating widespread rain, thunderstorms and snowfall over the hills across various parts of the country in the coming week.
A strong westerly wave is expected to approach the western regions on the evening of February 24, gripping the upper parts by February 25, and persisting in northern areas until March 2.
Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir: From February 25 to March 2, widespread rain, wind, and thunderstorms are expected in Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Guanche, and Shigar, as well as in Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, and Mirpur. Heavy snowfall is also anticipated in some areas.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: From February 24 (night) to March 1, heavy rain and snowfall are expected in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Buner, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Waziristan, Kohat, Karak, Bannu, and Dera Ismail Khan.
Punjab and Islamabad: Moderate to heavy snowfall is forecasted in Murree and Galliyat from February 25 to March 1. Rain, wind, and thunderstorms will affect Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, and Jhelum.
Other affected cities include Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, Sargodha, Mianwali, Khushab, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, and Toba Tek Singh from February 25 (evening) to February 28. Southern Punjab, including Jhang, Bhakkar, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Taunsa Sharif, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Okara, Bahawalnagar, and Bahawalpur, will experience rain from February 25 to 27.
Balochistan: Rain, thunderstorms, and snowfall over the hills are expected from February 24 (evening) to February 26 in Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Mastung, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Chagai, Nushki, Kalat, Khuzdar, Barkhan, Harnai, Zhob, and Musakhel.
Sindh: Light rain and thunderstorms are likely in Larkana, Qambar Shahdadkot, Jacobabad, and Sukkur on February 25 and 26.
Heavy snowfall may lead to road closures and slippery conditions in Murree, Galliyat, Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Poonch, and Haveli.
Downpour may trigger flash floods in vulnerable areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir between February 25 and March 1.
Mountainous regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Murree, and Galliyat are at risk of landslides. Isolated hailstorms may occur in the plains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Islamabad.
Tourists are advised to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary travel during heavy snowfall or rainfall. The rain may be beneficial for standing crops, particularly in the rain-fed regions of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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