Relief as first winter rain falls in Islamabad

Islamabad: Islamabad and adjoining areas witnessed the winter season's first rainfall on Monday morning, with scattered showers and hailstorms reported in several areas, turning the weather pleasant and easing health issues.

It rained in Shehzad Town, G-6, G-7, F-7, Bhara Kahu and Murree Road, ending the prolonged dry spell, which had led to a rise in health issues like flu, dry cough and temperature. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, a cold wave is expected to persist in the country's mountainous regions, while rain is anticipated in some parts of Islamabad and its neighbouring areas.

Upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is forecast to experience rain and thunderstorms in most regions, while snowfall is expected in various mountainous areas. Also, rain and snowfall are likely in some parts of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The weather in Murree, Galyat and surrounding areas is expected to be partly cloudy.

Fog is expected in several areas, including Sialkot, Narowal, Gujranwala, Mangla, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Okara, and Sahiwal. The PMD also forecast foggy conditions in Sargodha, Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, Faisalabad, Jhang, Bhakkar, Layyah, Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Khanewal, Khanpur, and Rahim Yar Khan. Fog is expected to affect Dera Ghazi Khan and surrounding regions, as well as Sukkur, Benazirabad, Shikarpur, Kashmore, Khairpur, and nearby areas.

Rain is predicted in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, and Abbottabad, and foggy weather in Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Peshawar, Nowshera and Mardan.