- PMD advises tourists to avoid unnecessary travel.
- Landslides may occur in parts of KP, GB, Kashmir.
- Urban flooding expected in major Pakistani cities.
Heavy rains are expected to sweep across Pakistan from April 5 to 9, as a fresh western disturbance approaches the country from the west, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said in a weather advisory issued on Saturday.
Balochistan is expected to be the first region affected by the stormy weather, with rain, windstorms, thunderstorms, isolated heavy downpours, and hail forecast in Chaghi, Dalbandin, Kharan, Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, and Pishin from the night of April 5 to the morning of April 7, with occasional gaps.
Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Noushki, Harnai, Zhob, Kalat, Khuzdar, Barkhan, Mastung, Sibbi, Kohlu, Naseerabad, and Loralai are also likely to experience similar weather patterns during the period.
Panjgur, Turbat, Kech, Awaran, and the Makran Coast, including Gwadar, Pasni, Ormara, and Lasbella, will be affected on April 6.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will experience widespread rain, windstorm, and thunderstorm with snowfall over mountains in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Shangla, Buner, Kohistan, Malakand, and Battagram from April 6 to 9 with occasional gaps.
KP’s Mansehra, Abbottabad, Balakot, Haripur, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Kurram, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Swabi, Charsadda, Kohat, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, and Waziristan will experience a similar weather pattern during the same period.
Further, the PMD forecast heavy falls and hailstorms at scattered places on April 7 and 8 across the province.
Punjab will see widespread rain, windstorm, and thunderstorm with isolated heavy falls and hailstorm in Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Sargodha, Mianwali, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Khushab, Noorpurthal, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Pakpattan, Okara, Kasur, and Sahiwal from the evening of April 6 to April 9.
Similar weather patterns are also expected in Islamabad and Rawalpindi during the period.
Rain and thunderstorms with isolated hailstorms are expected in Punjab’s Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Kot Addu, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Bhakkar, Layyah, Multan, and Khanewal on April 6 and 7.
Heavy falls and hailstorms are also likely in Islamabad, the Pothohar region, and upper districts on April 7 and 8.
Sindh will see scattered rain, windstorm, and thunderstorm with isolated heavy falls and hailstorm in Sukkur, Kashmore, Ghotki, Jamshoro, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Larkana, and Kambar Shahdadkot on April 6.
Light to moderate rain and thunderstorm with isolated hailstorm is expected in Dadu, Naushahro Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Mityari, Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Thatta, Badin, Sujawal, and Karachi on the same day.
Gilgit-Baltistan will receive moderate rain, windstorm, and thunderstorm with isolated heavy falls and snowfall over mountains in Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Guanche, and Shigar from the night of April 5 to April 9 with occasional gaps.
Kashmir, including Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, and Mirpur, will see widespread rain, windstorm, and thunderstorm with few heavy falls and hailstorm from April 6 to 9 with occasional gaps.
The PMD warned that landslides may occur in vulnerable areas of upper KP, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir.
Flash flooding is expected in Kashmir and northeast Balochistan, including Khuzdar, Kalat, Mastung, Kohlu, Zhob, Barkhan, Loralai, and Sherani, as well as the Kohe Sulaiman mountains on April 6
The PMD also warned of flash flooding in local streams and nullahs of KP’s Kurram, Orakzai, Khyber, Mohmand, Bajaur, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Malakand, Kohistan, Chitral, Buner, and Abbottabad from April 7 to 8.
Meanwhile, urban flooding is expected in Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujrat, Gujranwala, and Sialkot on April 7 and 8.
Windstorm, hailstorm, and lightning may damage weak structures, including electric poles, billboards, and solar panels, the Met Office said.
Standing crops in Punjab, KP, and Sindh are also at risk from hailstorms and windstorms, and farmers have been advised to manage their crops accordingly, it added.
The PMD also advised tourists and travellers to avoid unnecessary travel during the forecast period.
