ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a detailed weather advisory indicating that widespread rain, windy conditions and occasional thundershowers are expected to move over most of the country from the evening of March 17 to March 20, overlapping the Eid holiday period. Although the weather will be particularly active, authorities are watching 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 expected to enter western parts of the country on the evening or night of March 17.
It is expected to spread gradually over most of Pakistan by March 18 and subside by March 20, bringing with it some refreshing but unsettled days.
Balochistan will be among the first regions to feel the change, with rainy and windy conditions along with occasional thunder and, in a few isolated pockets, some hail expected over Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Zhob, Kalat, Khuzdar, Kech, Gwadar, Adar, and surrounding areas. These spells are expected from the evening of March 17 to the morning of March 20, with breaks in between.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will see rainy and windy weather with thundery intervals and snowfall over the higher hills over a wide area including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Peshawar, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Kohat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Waziristan and many nearby districts. Isolated hail is possible in 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, windy periods with isolated hail from the night of March 17 to the morning of March 20.
South Punjab including Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rahim Yar Khan are expected to receive similar conditions on March 18 and 19.
Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir will also experience rainy and cloudy weather with thundershowers 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 onwards, with a few heavier spells possible, especially 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.
