Citizens have breathed a sigh of relief from the persistent poor air quality after intermittent rain showers in the provincial capital of Lahore on Tuesday morning.
The recent spell of rain has turned the weather cold, providing a much needed relief to the wheat crop growers while it is also expected that pollution level would reduce in many polluted areas of the country.
Many parts of country started receiving isolated and light rain from Monday evening which continued till Tuesday afternoon. Light showers in parts of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Okara, Sahiwal, Chichawatni, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Faisalabad and others turned the weather cold.
According to Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), a strong westerly wave has entered western and upper parts of the country and is likely to persist till Friday in parts of the country.
During the last 24 hours, cold and partly cloudy weather prevailed over most parts of the country with very cold weather in hilly areas. Pasni received more rain, recorded at 70 millimetres.
In the past 24 hours, rainfall recorded in Gwadar was 57mm, Ormara 27mm, Turbat and Jiwani 24mm, Parachinar 20mm, Upper Dir 19mm, Lower Dir 14mm, Malam Jabba 18mm, Kalam 13mm, Peshawar, Cherat and Takhtbai 11mm, Murree and Chakwal 4mm, Attock 3mm, Islamabad 3mm, Rawalpindi 2mm, Jhelum and Gujrat 2mm, Lahore, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, Okara, Sahiwal and Narowal 1mm and Jacobabad 2 mm. During the last 24 hours, Malam Jabba received 9 inches of snowfall while Gupis and Kalam received 6 inches.
During the last 24 hours, the lowest minimum temperature was recorded in Leh where mercury fell to -9 degree Celsius.
According to PMD, rain with isolated heavy falls is expected in Islamabad, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Malakand, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swabi, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Charsadda, Bajaur, Kurram, Waziristan, Kohat, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Sargodha, Khushab, Bhakkar, Mianwali, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore and Kasur until Friday.
During this period, PMD has also predicted heavy snowfall in Quetta, Pishin, Ziarat, Qilla Abdullah, Harnai, Chaman Murree, Galliyat, Neelum valley, Bagh, Haveli, Rawalakot, Naran, Kaghan, Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu, Astore, Chitral, Dir, Swat and Malam Jabba.
PMD has warned that heavy snowfall in Quetta, Pishin, Ziarat, Qilla Abdullah, Harnai, Chaman, Murree, Galliyat, Nathiagali, Kaghan, Naran, Dir, Swat, Chitral, Astore, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Neelum valley, Bagh and Haveli districts may cause road closures.
Due to the prevailing weather conditions, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has issued advisory for the tourists travelling to Swat Valley and other parts of the province. Local administration and police in Swat and other districts have warned the tourists not to travel to snowy areas without tyre-chains.
Meanwhile, the KP government has directed all the concerned departments to be alert and also directed that snow be cleared from the roads to facilitate the tourists.
