Met forecasts rainy eid days

Wet spells across Pakistan likely from March 17-20

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a detailed weather advisory indicating that widespread rain, breezy conditions, and occasional thundery spells are expected to move across much of the country from the evening of March 17 through March 20, overlapping with the Eid holiday period. While the weather will be notably active, authorities are keeping a close watch and have shared timely guidance to help everyone stay safe and prepared.

The weather change is being driven by a westerly wave which is a naturally occurring seasonal weather system that is forecast to enter the western parts of the country on the evening or night of March 17.

It is expected to spread gradually across most of Pakistan by March 18 and ease off by March 20, bringing with it a refreshing but unsettled few days.

Balochistan will be among the first regions to feel the change, with rainy and breezy conditions along with occasional thunder and, in a few isolated pockets, some hail, expected across Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Zhob, Kalat, Khuzdar, Kech, Gwadar, Panjgur, Awaran, and surrounding areas. These spells are expected from the evening of March 17 through the morning of March 20, with breaks in between.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will see rainy and breezy weather with thundery intervals and snowfall over the higher hills across a wide area including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Peshawar, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Kohat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Waziristan, and many neighbouring districts. Isolated hail is possible at a few places during this time.

Across Punjab and Islamabad, the capital region along with Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sargodha, Sahiwal, and a number of other cities and towns can expect rainy, breezy spells with isolated hail from the night of March 17 through the morning of March 20.

Southern Punjab including Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Rahim Yar Khan is expected to receive similar conditions on March 18th and 19.

Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir will also experience rainy and cloudy weather with thundery spells and snowfall over higher elevations.

The areas including Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu, Diamir, Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley, Poonch, Mirpur, and Kotli are included in the forecast from the evening of March 17 onward, with a few heavier spells possible particularly over Kashmir.

Sindh will see its share of rainy and cloudy weather with occasional thunder on March 18 and 19, covering Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Thatta, and several other districts.