Cold wave to intensify across Pakistan with rain, snowfall forecast from today

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of an intensifying cold wave across the country, with rain and snowfall expected to affect various regions from Saturday. The cold wave is forecasted to persist until December 14, providing relief to smog-affected areas in the upper parts of the country.

According to the PMD, temperatures are expected to drop significantly, with day temperatures forecasted to fall by 4 to 6 degrees Celsius below normal in Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir.

Balochistan and Sindh will experience a more pronounced drop, with temperatures falling 5 to 7 degrees Celsius below the seasonal average.

The met department predicted moderate rain and thunderstorms, along with snowfall over the hills, in several northern regions, including Chitral, Swat, Malakand, Gilgit, Skardu, Muzaffarabad, and Neelum Valley from December 7 to 11, and the conditions will bring snowfall to popular hill stations such as Murree and the Galliyat region.

In addition, light to moderate rain with snowfall is expected in major cities like Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, and Jhang between December 7 and 8.

The PMD has issued precautionary advice to farmers, urging them to manage their activities based on the weather forecast, especially in anticipation of possible frost.

The department also advised citizens to limit outdoor exposure in cold and windy conditions, particularly during the night and morning hours whereas, tourists and travellers heading to mountainous areas are urged to exercise caution.

The PMD has called on relevant authorities to remain vigilant and implement necessary measures to mitigate the impact of the severe weather, particularly in the northern regions.