Mercury goes down to minus 20 in Skardu, surrounding area

SKARDU: After recent snowfall, Gilgit Baltistan region hit by a very cold weather as mercury has dropped to an insane minus 20 Celsius in city area of Skardu, citing the met office ARY News reported on Monday.

According to the weather department, the temperature in most areas of Gilgit Baltistan region has dropped below the freezing point.

The mercury has plunged to minus 28 Celsius in upper areas of the region. More snowfall and rain is expected in GB region, according to the met office.

The snowfall has blocked roads and people of the upper regions suffering from an insane blood curdling cold weather.

Several areas of the region have been blocked for last three months due to snowfall and rough weather.

Small rivers, hill torrents and ponds in Skardu have been frozen due to severe low temperature while the intermittent snowfall has also blocked the main link roads.

A westerly wave is affecting north Balochistan and its adjoining areas and likely to affect upper parts of the country on Tuesday.

Rain and snowfall over mountains, is expected at few places in northwest Balochistan, hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan Meteorological Department said in its forecast.

Rain and snowfall is likely in hilly areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Buner, Chitral, Dir, Kalam, Malakand, Shangla, Swat,Kurrum, Orakzai). Rain is expected in Islamabad with cloudy weather conditions on Tuesday.

The lowest minimum temperature in the counrty recorded at: Skardu -20°Celsius, Astore -16°C, Gupis -13°C, Kalam. Parachinar -10°C, Bagrote -09°C, Dir, Malamjabba, Kalat -05°C and Quetta -03°C.