ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of wet weather in the upper parts of the country from April 16 to 19.
In a press release, the Met office said a westerly wave was likely to approach Pakistan’s northwestern parts on April 16 (Thursday) and likely to persist in the upper parts till April 19 (Sunday).
Under the influence of the weather system, rain-windstorm/thunderstorm with isolated heavy falls were likely in areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
In KP, rain-windstorm/thunderstorm with isolated heavy falls/hailstorm (snowfall over mountains) was expected in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Shangla, Buner, Kohistan, Malakand, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Balakot, Haripur, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Bajaur, Mohmand, Swabi, Charsadda, Kohat, Kurram, Khyber and Hangu from the evening of April 16 to April 19 with occasional gaps.
“Light rain wind/thunderstorm is likely at isolated places in Orakzai, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Tank, Dera Ismail Khan and Waziristan on April 17 and 18,” the metrological department added.
In GB, “rain-wind/thunderstorm with moderate to isolated heavy falls (snowfall over the mountains)” was forecast in Diamer, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Guanche and Shigar during this period with occasional gaps.
For AJK, the PMD predicted “rain-windstorm/thunderstorm with isolated hailstorm” in Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber and Mirpur from April 17 to 19 with occasional gaps.
Moderate to isolated heavy falls were expected on April 18 and 19, the PMD added.
According to PMD, “rain-windstorm/thunderstorm” was expected in Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Nushki, Sherani, Musakhel, Loralai, Harnai, Zhob, Barkhan and Loralai on April 17 and 18.
It further said “rain-windstorm/thunderstorm with isolated hailstorm” was expected in Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Khushab, Sargodha, Mianwali, Faisalabad, Jhang, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal from April 16 to 18.
During the same period, “windstorm/thunderstorm is likely in Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Layyah, Bhakkar, Khushab, Noorpur Thal, Multan and Khanewal”, the PMD said.
Meanwhile, the upper parts of Sindh were expected to see windstorms or “dust-raising winds” from April 16 to 18, according to the Met Office.
AJK, GB weather
Listing the possible impacts, the PMD warned that landslides may occur in vulnerable areas of AJK, upper KP, and GB from April 17 (Friday) to April 19 (Sunday).
Due to heavy rains, flash floods were expected in vulnerable areas of upper KP (Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Batgram, Chitral), GB and Kashmir (Neelum Valley), the PMD stated.
It cautioned that hailstorms or windstorms and lightning may damage weak structures, such as electricity poles, billboards and solar panels.
Noting that hailstorms or windstorms may damage standing crops in KP and upper Punjab, the Met Office has advised farmers to manage their crops according to the prevailing weather conditions.
Separately, temperatures surged in various districts of Sindh, with mercury reaching 43.5 degrees Celsius in Shaheed Benazirabad and Mithi during the day, according to figures issued by the PMD.
