KP, Punjab in grip of cold wave after rain

ISLAMABAD/QUETTA: Heavy rainfall coupled with snowfall in Khyber Pakhtonkhwa, Balochistan has intensified cold wave in different cities of the provinces, ARY News reported on Saturday.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has also predicted rainfall with snow at the hills as the westerly wave affecting western and upper parts of the country would likely to grip different parts of the country today.

Director National Weather Forecasting Centre (PMD) Dr Khalid said that the prevailing weather system was persisting in the country’s northern areas, upper and central Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir. The pattern would remain Saturday night persisting till Sunday morning whereas the current weather scenario was a normal one, he added.

According to PMD weather forecast, more rain (with snowfall over the hills) was expected at scattered places in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat, Mardan, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Faislabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore divisions, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.

However, light rain and drizzle was also expected at isolated places in Kalat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal and Sukkur divisions.

Partly cloudy weather with light rain and drizzle at few places was also expected along Sindh-Makran coast including Karachi, it added.

The forecast for next 24 hours predicted more rain (with snowfall over the hills) expected at scattered places in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat, Mardan, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Lahore divisions, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, while at isolated places in Faislabad and Sahiwal divisions.

The minimum temperatures were recorded in Bagrote -09’C, Skardu, Astore, Gupis -08’C, Kalam, Hunza-06’C, Malanjabba -05’C, Parachinar -04’C, Muree, Dir -03’C, Gilgit -02, Bunji, Kalat, Mirkhani, Drosh -01’C.