The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast a new spell of unsettled weather as a shallow westerly system is expected to enter the western and northern regions of the country from the night of January 30 and continue until February 3. The approaching weather system is likely to bring cloudy skies along with rain and snowfall in several parts of Pakistan.
According to the forecast, light to moderate rain and light to moderate snowfall over mountainous areas are expected in Gilgit-Baltistan, including Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, and Shigar. Similar conditions are predicted in Azad Kashmir, affecting areas such as Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhnuti, Kotli, Bhimber, and Mirpur. These weather conditions may persist from January 31 to February 3, with brief breaks in between.
Several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Shangla, Kohistan, Buner, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Mardan, Peshawar, Kohat, Kurram, and Waziristan, are also expected to receive rain and snowfall during the same period.
The PMD has further stated that light rainfall is likely in Islamabad, the Potohar region, and parts of Punjab, including Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat, and Gujranwala, from February 1 to February 3. Light rain or snowfall is also expected in Murree, Galliyat, and surrounding areas.
In northern Balochistan, cities such as Quetta, Ziarat, Zhob, Chaman, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Nushki, and Harnai may experience light to moderate rain, snowfall, and gusty winds from January 31 to February 1.
The Met Office has warned that snowfall could create slippery road conditions in many hilly and mountainous regions, including Naran, Kaghan, Swat, Dir, Kalam, Chitral, Kohistan, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, and parts of Azad Kashmir between February 1 and 3, as well as parts of northern Balochistan on January 31 and February 1. Travelers and residents have been advised to take precautionary measures.
Read more: Murree Records its Heaviest Snowfall in Two Decades
