Weather Department Forecasts More Rain and Snowfall in Ramadan

Met Office predicted that a shallow westerly wave is likely to enter northern parts of the country on 9th March (evening/night) and is expected to strengthen from 12th March and will persist till 16th March. Under the influence of this weather system:

• Rain-wind/thunderstorm (snowfalls over the hills) with few heavy falls is expected in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Battagram, Bunner, Kurram, Bajaur, Mohmand, Orakzai, Murree, Galliyat, Gilgit-Baltistan (Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, Shigar), Kashmir (Neelum valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, Mirpur) from 9th (evening/night) to 16th March with occasional gaps.

• Rain-wind/thunderstorm is expected in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Haripur, Kurram, Bannu, Waziristan, Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera, Swabi, Karak, Hangu, Kohat, Khyber on 10th March.

• Rain-wind/thunderstorm (moderate with few heavy falls) is expected in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, Sargodha, Khushab, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Jhang, T.T Singh, Mianwali and D.I Khan from 12th (evening/night) to 16th March (morning) with occasional gaps.

• Rain-wind/thunderstorm (snowfalls over the hills) is expected in Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Mastung, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Chagi, Noushki, Barkhan, Khuzdar, Harnai, Zhob, Sherani, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Bahawalnagar, Okara, Bhakkar, Layyah, Kot Adu, Rahim Yar Khan, Kashmore, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Larkana, Multan, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Pakpattan and Okara on 14th & 15th March.

Possible Impacts and Advice:

• Moderate to few heavy rainfall/snowfalls may cause road closure/slippery conditions in Murree, Galliyat, Naran, Kaghan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Manshera, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Neelum valley, Bagh, Poonch, Haveli on 10th March and from 12th to 15th March.

• Possibility of landslides/avalanches in hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir during the period.

• Hailstorms are also expected at isolated places in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, upper Punjab/Islamabad, and Kashmir.

• Tourists and travelers visiting mountainous areas are advised to remain cautious and avoid unnecessary traveling from the 13th to the 16th of March.

• Farmers are advised to manage their activities keeping in view the weather forecast period.