According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Thursday, a cold wave is expected to hit Pakistan after October 17 due to rain in some areas and snowfall on the mountains.
According to a weather alert released by the Met Office, “[…] a westerly system is likely to enter upper parts on October 13 (evening/night) and likely to spread upper/central parts on October 14 (night).”
In the upper regions, such as Chitral, Dir, Swat, Malakand, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Swabi, Khyber, Mohmand, Bajaur, Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera, Charsadda, Kurram, Kohat, Hangu, Orakzai, Bannu, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Tank, Waziristan, and Dera Ismail Khan, the PMD forecast intermittent rain with wind thunderstorm in moderate isolated falls.
The same prognosis applies to parts of Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Kashmir.During the same period, moderate to isolated heavy falls are forecast in the Neelum valley of Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, Mirpur, and the areas of Gilgit Baltistan that include Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, and Shigar.
From October 13 to October 17, similar weather is predicted in a number of areas, including Islamabad, the Potohar region, Murree, Galiyat, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Okara, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Sargodha, Khushab, Noorpurthal, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, and Kasur.
While rain and thunderstorms are predicted for Layyah, Bhakkar, Kot Addu, Sahiwal, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, and Rahim Yar Khan from the evening of October 16 to October 18.
During the predicted period, snowfall is also anticipated across the high mountains of KP, Kashmir, and GB, as well as sporadic hailstorms in the plains of KP.
On October 17 and 18, there will be rain, wind, and thunderstorms in Sindh and Balochistan in the following areas: Jacobabad, Kashmore, Shikarpur, Sukkur, Ghotki, Khairpur, Sanghar, and Umerkot; Sherani, Musa Khel, Zhob, Qilla Saifullah, Loralai, Barkhan, Kohlu, Sibbi, Bolan, Kalat, Harnai, Naseerabad, Dera Bugti, Jaffarabad, Qila Abdullah, Pishin, Quetta, and Ziarat.
Impacts
- Temperatures are likely to drop significantly.
- Moderate to heavy falls may increase water flows in local nullahs/streams and may trigger landslides in the vulnerable areas of Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra & Abbottabad during the spell.
- Heavy rain may generate urban flooding in Rawalpindi and Lahore on October 15 and 16.
The Met Office also advised the farmers to manage their crop activities accordingly, while tourists and travellers were suggested to remain cautious during the forecast period.
