On Saturday, the Met Office issued a notification indicating the imminent arrival of a robust westerly wave in the western regions of the country on the night of February 17th. This weather system is expected to influence the upper and central parts of the country on February 18th, bringing along precipitation, wind, thunderstorms, and snowfall over the hills, along with isolated hailstorms. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) anticipates these weather conditions to persist from the 17th to the 21st of February.
Various districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Punjab, and Balochistan are likely to experience rainfall, while the southern parts of the province are expected to have dry weather accompanied by strong gusty winds from the 18th to the 20th of February.
It is cautioned that heavy rain and snowfall might lead to road closures in several areas, including Murree, Galiyat, Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Poonch, and Haveli from the 18th to the 20th of February. Additionally, the possibility of landslides in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir, and Gilgit Baltistan cannot be ruled out during this forecast period.
The Met Office emphasizes the potential damage caused by wind-thunderstorms and hailstorms to structures such as electric poles, vehicles, and solar panels. Authorities are advised to stay vigilant and implement necessary measures to mitigate any potential untoward situations during the forecast period.
