PMD Forecasts Widespread Rain, Warns of Urban and Flashfloods

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted widespread rain-wind/thundershowers for Wednesday in various parts of the country including Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan, and northeast Balochistan.

The weather system is expected to bring heavy to very heavy downpours in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Potohar region, northeast Punjab and Kashmir. Meanwhile, southern regions of the country are likely to remain under hot and humid conditions.

Flashfloods

According to the PMD, there is a high risk of flash flooding during the night and on July 23 in local nullahs and streams of Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Buner, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Murree, Galliyat, and Islamabad/Rawalpindi, as well as in the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan, northeast Punjab and Kashmir.

Urban flooding

Urban flooding may also occur in low-lying areas of major cities such as Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Okara, Nowshera and Peshawar.

Landslides and mudslides

Landslides and mudslides may cause road closures in hilly and vulnerable areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Strong winds, heavy rainfall and lightning may damage weak structures, including the roofs and walls of kacha houses, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels.

Weather forecast

In Islamabad, partly cloudy weather with rain-wind/thundershowers is expected, with chances of heavy falls during the period. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is forecasted to experience rain and thundershowers in various districts including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Buner, Shangla, Malakand, Peshawar, Nowshera, Swabi, Bajaur, Mardan, Kurram, Khyber, Orakzai, Hangu, Kohat, Bannu, Karak, Dera Ismail Khan and Waziristan, with heavyfalls more likely in the upper regions.

In Punjab, rain-wind/thundershowers are expected in areas including Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat, Chakwal, Attock, Sargodha, Khushab, Mianwali, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Lahore, Sheikhupura and Shakargarh. Isolated showers may also occur in Kasur, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Multan, Khanewal, Faisalabad, Layyah, Bhakkar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sahiwal, Kot Addu, and Taunsa Sharif.

Sindh will continue to face hot and humid conditions across most districts, although light rain or drizzle is possible in some coastal areas. In Balochistan, similar hot and humid weather is expected in most parts, but isolated rain-wind/thundershowers may occur in Barkhan, Kohlu, Musakhel, Loralai, Zhob, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbella and nearby regions.

In Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, partly cloudy weather with rain-thundershowers is likely. Heavy rainfalls are also expected in some areas of Kashmir.