Rain and thunderstorms forecast for upper parts of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast partly cloudy weather with rain, wind and thunderstorms at upper parts of the country on Thursday, with isolated hailstorms also possible.

The weather system is expected to affect upper areas of the country, including upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Islamabad and the Pothohar region.

According to the PMD, Islamabad and surrounding areas may experience cloudy skies with rain and thunderstorms, while hailstorms are possible at a few places.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rain and thunderstorms are expected in districts including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Buner, Malakand, Mansehra, Abbottabad and Bajaur, while most other districts are likely to remain dry.

The PMD also predicted that partly cloudy weather with rain and thunderstorms is expected in several districts of Punjab including Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Mianwali, Jhelum, Gujrat, Lahore, Gujranwala, Murree and the Galiyat region. Isolated hailstorms may also occur in these areas, while the rest of the province is expected to remain dry.

According to the PMD most districts of Sindh are likely to experience hot and dry weather, while dry conditions are also expected to prevail in most parts of Balochistan.

Cloudy weather with rain and thunderstorms is also expected in Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, where isolated hailstorms may occur in some areas.

The PMD also warned that winds could carry pollutants towards western Pakistan due to the recent situation in Iran, which may temporarily deteriorate air quality in those regions.

During the past 24 hours, rain and thunderstorms were reported in parts of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Islamabad and the Pothohar region, with isolated hailstorms recorded in some locations.

The weather remained dry in most other parts of the country, while southern areas experienced hot conditions.

The highest rainfall was recorded in Pattan (74 mm), Malam Jabba (60 mm) and Kakul (36 mm). Meanwhile, the highest maximum temperatures recorded in the country were 40 C in Mithi and Chhor, 39 C in Hyderabad and Tando Jam, and 38C in Shaheed Benazirabad.