By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that a fresh western disturbance will bring widespread rain, thunderstorms, isolated hailstorms and the risk of flash flooding and landslides to much of the country beginning Sunday night and persisting through April 9.
In a weather advisory issued on Saturday, the department said the system is expected to approach western Balochistan on Sunday evening and remain active over the upper parts of the country until Thursday. Under its influence, showers with isolated heavy falls or hail are forecast across all four provinces as well as Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, with occasional breaks.
The forecast arrives as Pakistan is still recovering from an earlier spell of unseasonably heavy April rains that killed at least 16 people nationwide this week, damaged standing wheat crops in southern Punjab and set new monthly rainfall records in parts of Sindh.
In Balochistan, the heaviest activity is expected first. Rain, windstorms and thunderstorms with isolated heavy falls or hail are likely from Sunday night through Tuesday morning in Quetta, Chaman, Chagai, Dalbandin, Kharan, Ziarat, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Nushki, Harnai, Zhob, Kalat, Khuzdar, Barkhan, Mastung, Sibi, Kohlu, Nasirabad and Loralai. Similar conditions were forecast for Panjgur, Turbat, Kech, Awaran, Lasbela and the Makran coast — including Gwadar, Pasni and Ormara — on Monday.
Sindh, including Karachi, will see scattered showers beginning Monday. The department predicted rain, windstorms and thunderstorms with isolated heavy falls or hail in northern districts such as Sukkur, Kashmore, Ghotki, Jamshoro, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot. Light to moderate rain, wind and thunderstorms with isolated hail are expected farther south in Dadu, Naushahro Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Mitiari, Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Thatta, Badin, Sujawal and Karachi.
Punjab faces the most extensive coverage. Widespread rain, windstorms and thunderstorms with isolated heavy falls or hail are forecast from Monday evening through Thursday in Lahore, Murree, the Galliyat, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Sargodha, Mianwali, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Khushab, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Pakpattan, Okara, Kasur and Sahiwal. Rain with isolated hail is expected Monday and Tuesday in Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Kot Addu, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Bhakkar, Layyah, Multan and Khanewal. The department noted that heavy falls and hailstorms are also likely in Islamabad, the Pothohar region and upper districts on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, widespread rain, windstorms and thunderstorms — with snowfall over the mountains — are expected from Monday through Thursday in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Shangla, Buner, Kohistan, Malakand, Battagram, 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. Heavy falls or hailstorms are possible at scattered locations on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Gilgit-Baltistan is forecast to receive moderate rain, wind and thunderstorms, with isolated heavy falls and mountain snowfall, from Sunday night through April 9 in Diamer, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche and Shigar. Azad Jammu and Kashmir will see widespread rain, windstorms and thunderstorms with a few heavy falls or hailstorms from Monday through Thursday in Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian Bala, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber and Mirpur.
The new system follows a week of significant rainfall that the department described as “abnormal” for April in Sindh. Since March 20, continuous rains and flooding in Balochistan have killed nine people and injured 10 others. Torrential downpours in Karachi on April 2 claimed six more lives. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a child died and 16 others were injured in rain-related incidents on Friday. Several Sindh cities recorded new April highs for rainfall and the lowest night and daytime temperatures for the month. Heavy rain and hail over the past two days also damaged wheat crops in parts of southern Punjab, while low-lying areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad were inundated on Friday.
The department issued several specific warnings. Landslides are possible in vulnerable areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir between April 5 and 9. Flash floods are expected in Kashmir, northeastern Balochistan (Khuzdar, Kalat, Mastung, Kohlu, Zhob, Barkhan, Loralai and Sherani) and the Koh-i-Sulaiman mountains on Monday. Local streams and nullahs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — including Kurram, Orakzai, Khyber, Mohmand, Bajaur, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Malakand, Kohistan, Chitral, Buner and Abbottabad — face flash-flood risk from Tuesday through Wednesday. Urban flooding is likely in Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujrat, Gujranwala and Sialkot on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Strong winds, hail and lightning could damage weak structures such as electricity poles, billboards and solar panels. Hailstorms and windstorms may also harm standing crops in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh; the department advised farmers to take protective measures. Daytime temperatures are expected to fall across the forecast period.The Met Office urged tourists and travelers to avoid unnecessary journeys during the wet spell and asked the public to remain vigilant, particularly in hilly and low-lying areas.
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