First snowfall of year ends dry spell

Malakand, Hazara division, Kashmir experience first snowfall of the year

ISLAMABAD: The long-awaited intermittent showers and snowfall in the upper region of the country brought a respite from the persistent drought-like situation.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department, however, believes that these showers would not help replenish the two main water reservoirs of the country to address the water shortage.



While talking to The Express Tribune PMD’s Dr Ghulam Rasul said light to moderate showers with light snowfall over the hills occurred at scattered places in Malakand, Hazara division and Kashmir. Light rainfall in a few places of Peshawar, Rawalpindi division and Islamabad also put an end to the long dry spell and helped settle the suspended dust particles in the atmosphere.



Moreover, it also helped decrease fog in areas where it rained, Rasul added.

“There is no doubt that this light to moderate rainfall has helped put an end to a dry spell which was causing severe health issues but  currently Pakistan needs some heavy showers to replenish its Mangla and Tarbela dams and also increase the level of groundwater tables,” he said.

He said Pakistan is becoming increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and the current weather situation was a proof of it.

“Like previous year, this year too, Pakistan has received snowfall with a delay and the impact of climate change is slowly pushing it towards the spring period,” said Rasul.

He said that two more rain spells of low intensity are expected in the current month.



Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) Chairman Dr Muhammad Ashraf said Pakistan was already a water stressed country and such prolonged dry spells were worsening the situation.

“Every year the water table level in Islamabad is decreasing one meter, Lahore 0.5 meter and Balochsitan three meters which is alarming”.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2017.