New rain spell predicted over the weekend

Islamabad: Though the sun shone brightly in clear skies on Wednesday for the second consecutive day and thus, increasing daytime temperatures in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and adjoining areas, the Met Office forecast another spell of rain and snowfall for the weekend amid a warming of landslides and flash floods.

“Another rain-bearing weather system is likely to approach Pakistan during this weekend. Under its influence, rain and thunderstorm are expected at a number of places in Islamabad and upper Punjab including Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore and Sargodha divisions on Saturday and Sunday. Snowfall is also expected over the hills of Murree and Galliyat during the period. Rain is also expected at isolated places of south Punjab on Saturday,” Irfan Virk, deputy director at the National Weather Forecasting Centre, Islamabad, said.

The weatherman said in Balochistan, rain and thunderstorm was expected at scattered places on Friday and Saturday, while snowfall was likely to occur over the hills of Quetta, Zhob and Kalat divisions during the period.

He said in KP and Fata, rain and thunderstorm were expected at a number places in KP and Fata from Friday to Sunday, while isolated heavy rain and snow over the hills was also expected in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar and Mardan divisions on Saturday and Sunday.

Irfan Virk said in Sindh, rain and thunderstorm was expected at isolated places of the province on Saturday, while in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, rain and snowfall with isolated heavyfalls was expected at a number of places from Friday to Sunday.

He warned that due to the intermittent rain, there was a risk of landslides and flash floods in the vulnerable areas of upper KP and Fata, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir on Saturday and Sunday.