Met Office Predicts Lots of Rain and Snowfall Till 4th February

Met Office has said that a westerly wave is affecting the country and may persist till 4th February. Under the influence of this weather system, the following areas will be impacted as per the forecast:

Balochistan: Rain with isolated heavy falls (with snowfall over the hills) is expected in Nokkundi, Dalbandin, Chagi, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbella, Awaran, Turbat, Kech, Gwadar, Jiwani, Pasni, Ormara, Panjgur, Kharan, Noushki, Washuk, Mastung, Sibbi, Zhob, Sherani, Barkhan, Musakhel, Kohlu, Jhal Magsi, Loralai, Ziarat, Quetta, Chaman, Pishin, Qila Abdullah and Qila Saifullah on 2nd/3rd February.

Gilgit Baltistan/Kashmir: Moderate to heavy rain-snowfall over the hills is expected in Gilgit-Baltistan (Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, Shigar), Kashmir (Neelum valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, Mirpur) from 31st January to 4th February with occasional gaps.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Moderate to heavy rain-snowfall over the hills is expected in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Karak, Khyber, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Buner, Bajaur, Kurram, Waziristan, Kohat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan from 31st January to 4th February with occasional gaps.

Punjab/Islamabad: Rain with moderate/heavy rain/snow is expected in Murree and Galliyat from 31st January to 1st February and on 3rd and 4th February with occasional gaps.

Light to moderate rain is expected in Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Pothohar region, Mandi Bahauddin, Mianwali, Khushab, Sargodha, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Faisalabad, Jhang, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Kasur, Sahiwal, and Okara from 31st January to 1st February and on 3rd and 4th February, while in Multan, Bhakkar, Layyah, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rahimyar Khan on 2nd and 3rd February.

Sindh: Light to moderate rain is expected in Sukkur, Larkana, Dadu, Mirpurkhas, Karachi, Shaheed Benazirabad, Jacobabad, and Kashmore on 2nd and 3rd February, while cold and partly cloudy weather is expected in other parts of the province.

Possible Impacts

• Heavy rainfall may cause flash flooding in local nullahs of Barkhan, Kohlu, Sibbi, Naseerabad, Dalbandin
  and Khuzdar on 2nd and 3rd February.
• Moderate to isolated heavy rain/snowfall may cause landslides and closure of roads in Murree, Galliyat, Naran,
  Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Neelum valley, Bagh,
  Poonch and Haveli on 31st January and 1st February.
• Tourists are advised to remain cautious during the spell.
• Rain may be beneficial for the standing crops, particularly in Barani areas of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
• Foggy conditions are likely to subside significantly during the period.