No drought or severe cold expected, says NDMA

Islamabad:The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has denied reports of an extreme drought or record cold this winter, saying while rainfall will be below average, no nationwide drought or severe cold is expected.

Officials noted that the country was likely to experience a colder and drier winter than usual but weather conditions would show normal patterns. They said the country's overall rainfall this year would be less than normal with limited impact.

The officials said a mild form of meteorological drought could occur only in isolated parts of Balochistan, including Kharan, Chagai, Washuk and Nushki. They noted that such local dry spells were not uncommon and didn't constitute a nationwide drought.

The officials said thanks to 23 per cent above-normal monsoon rainfall, the country's water reservoirs were in "good condition" and no major water shortage was expected during the winter months.

Rejecting widespread reports about record-breaking cold, they said no record low temperatures were anticipated this year. They, however, said the influence of La Nina climate pattern was expected to make December and January colder than usual.

The officials said that while the cold might feel more intense, it would not hit record levels. They said it might feel slightly colder and drier than usual. The officials warned that reduced rainfall could worsen air quality, potentially leading to respiratory illnesses and other seasonal health concerns.

They warned people against spreading unverified weather-related claims, saying that rumours about record cold and nationwide drought were misleading. The officials said meteorological patterns remained under continuous observation, and official forecasts from the Pakistan Meteorological Department and NDMA should be relied upon for accurate updates.