Weather update: Cold intensifies with rain and fog expected in northern Pakistan

A shallow westerly wave is forecast to impact eastern and upper parts of the country, bringing cold weather, rain, and fog over the weekend, according to the meteorological department.

On Saturday, most areas will experience cold and partly cloudy weather, with very cold conditions in hilly regions, Pakistan Meterological Department reported.

Rain and thunderstorms, accompanied by light snowfall over hills, are expected in eastern Punjab, Kashmir, Murree, Galiyat, and nearby areas.

Dense fog is likely to develop in patches across the plains of Punjab during the night.

Similar conditions are predicted for Sunday, with cold and partly cloudy weather prevailing nationwide. Rain, thunderstorms, and light snow are likely to persist in Kashmir, Murree, Galiyat, and surrounding regions.

Dense fog is expected in Punjab's plain areas during the early morning and night hours.

In the past 24 hours, cold and dry weather prevailed across the country, except for isolated rain of 1mm in Mirpurkhas. Moderate to dense fog was observed in parts of eastern and central Punjab.

The coldest temperatures recorded on Saturday morning included Leh at -13°C, Parachinar at -12°C, Astore at -11°C, Gopis at -10°C, Skardu at -9°C, Kalam at -7°C, and Hunza at -6°C.

The minimum temperature in Sindh's port city Karachi is expected to remain between the 10°C-12°C range during the weekend and drop by a degree on Monday.

Earlier this week, Karachi experienced the coldest night of this winter season, with the minimum temperature recorded at 8°C.

The chilling cold in Karachi is being amplified by chilly winds, which make the temperature feel 2 to 4 degrees colder than it actually is.

The winds are expected to blow at speeds ranging from 5 to 20 kilometres per hour from the north, northeast, and northwest.