Westerly wave to persist today, says NWFC
Northern areas experience below-freezing temperatures
ISLAMABAD: The country remained in the grip of a cold wave as a westerly system affected the upper parts, with temperatures dipping below freezing in many northern areas.
The National Weather Forecasting Centre (NWFC) in its daily forecast said that “a westerly wave is affecting the upper parts of the country and likely to persist in northern parts till tomorrow”.
According to NWFC, the upper parts of the country, including Malam Jabba, Parachinar, and Gupis, saw temperatures dip to -7°C, Bagrote at -6°C, followed closely by Kalam and Rawalakot at -5°C, while the temperature in Muree and Skardu remained -3°C, followed by -1°C in Quetta.
The weather centre warned that snowfall may cause “road closure/ slippery conditions in Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Chitral, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Murree, Galliyat, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Poonch, Haveli on January 27”.
It also predicted the possibility of landslides and avalanches in hilly areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
It advised tourists to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary travel.
As for rain, the weather centre predicted that intermittent rain, wind, and thunderstorms were expected on Tuesday in upper KP, AJK and GB.
“Heavy rain with moderate to heavy snowfall is also likely at isolated places,” it added.
As for the lower KP, northeastern Punjab and northern Balochistan, the NWFC predicted “cloudy weather accompanied [by] more isolated rain-wind/thunderstorm.”
“Cold and dry weather is likely in other parts of the country,” it further said, adding that the weather will persist till tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the National Highways and Motorways Police (NHMP), in a series of posts on X, detailed that the motorway police were “engaged in ensuring smooth flow of traffic” amid heavy snowfall in the upper parts of the country.
On the E-35 Hazara Expressway, NHMP said that “it was maintaining the smooth flow of traffic and ensuring timely assistance to the public”.
Visuals shared by the motorway police showed officials clearing snow from the road.
In a separate update, the NHMP shared visuals of heavy machinery removing snow from the Murree Expressway.
The NWFC, in its Monday’s forecast, had warned of traffic disruption due to heavy snowfall, causing road closures and slippery conditions in Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Chitral, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Murree, Galiyat, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Poonch, Haveli, Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Noshki, Harnai and Zhob. Staff Report
