Light rain expected in Karachi on Sunday and Monday

Light rain followed by a mild cold wave is expected in Karachi on Sunday and Monday under the influence of a strong westerly weather system that is likely to enter western and upper parts of Pakistan on Saturday evening or night and likely to grip most parts of the country on Sunday.

“We are expecting light rain in Karachi on Sunday and Monday under the influence of this westerly system. Once this system is over, a cold wave will grip most parts of the country and also result in a drop in temperature for Karachi,” Chief Meteorological Officer (CMO) Sindh Dr Sardar Sarfraz told The News on Wednesday.

He explained that this westerly system would cause light rain with isolated heavy falls in Quetta, Ziarat, Pishin, Zhob, Qila Abdullah, Nokkundi, Dalbandin, Noshki, Turbat, Panjgur, Gwadar, Pasni, Jiwani, Lasbella, Kalat, Khuzdar, Mastung, Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Jhalmagsi, Bolan, Sibbi, Kohlu and Barkhan from Saturday evening till Sunday.

Rains are also expected in Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Rajanpur, Multan, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Okara, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Rahimyar khan, Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad, Dadu, Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Mirpurkhas and Khairpur on Saturday evening and Sunday.

Dr Sarfraz maintained that rain with isolated heavy falls was also expected in Islamabad, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Malakand, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swabi, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Charsadda, Bajaur, Kurram, Waziristan, Kohat, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Sargodha, Khushab, Bhakkar, Mianwali, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore and Kasur from Sunday evening till Tuesday.

Good Snowfall is also expected in Murree, Galliyat, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Haveli, Rawalakot, Naran, Kaghan, Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu, Astore, Chitral, Dir, Swat and Malam Jabba from Sunday night till Tuesday. Snowfall is also expected in Quetta, Pishin, Ziarat, Qilla Abdullah, Harnai and Chaman on Saturday night and Sunday, he added.

Talking about possible impacts of the rains, he said prevailing smoggy conditions in urban cities and water stress in Barani areas was likely to subside after the rain, which would also benefit the wheat crop.

Heavy rainfall may generate flash flooding in vulnerable parts of Sibbi, Bolan, Kalat, Khuzdar, Naseerabad and Kohlu on Saturday and Sunday, he said, warning that heavy snowfall may cause road closures in Murree, Galliyat, Nathiagali, Kaghan, Naran, Dir, Swat, Chitral, Astore, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Neelum Valley, Bagh and Haveli.