LAHORE: Midday sunshine in Lahore and some other cities on Thursday compensated for the earlier persistent chilly conditions and dense fog that continued to disrupt air, road and rail traffic on Wednesday night and in the morning.

Okara, Multan, and Sahiwal remained without sunshine that warmed up the cold-beaten Lahore and other cities in north-east Punjab.

Lahore airport had to be closed on Wednesday night because of poor visibility caused by dense fog, delaying the arrival and departure of nearly 26 flights.

The dense fog also blanketed Motorway from Lahore to Pindi Bhattian and the entire National Highway from Rawalpindi to Rahim Yar Khan. The worst-hit portions of the highway were around Multan where dense fog also disrupted flight schedule.

Lahore’s minimum temperature on Wednesday night was 4 degrees Celsius and it improved to 14 degrees Celsius during the day because of the sunshine.

The Met Office reported dense fog in Faisalabad, Multan, Mangla, Okara, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Jhang, Khanpur, Sialkot and Toba Tek Singh.

Fog again began to develop in Lahore, Multan, Okara, Sahiwal, Toba Tek Singh and Bahawalnagar on Thursday evening.

Sub-zero temperatures were reported over the mountains. The minimum temperature in Skardu was -7 degrees Celsius, in Gilgit, Parachinar and Hunza -5, in Gupis, Kalam, Dir, Rawalakot -4, in Malamjabba and Kalat -3, Lower Dir, Drosh -2, Chitral, Mirkhani, Gilgit, Bunji and Kakul -1.

The Met Office forecast very cold and dry weather in most parts of the province (Punjab) during the next 24 hours. Dense foggy conditions will persist in Gujranwala, Lahore, Faisalabad and Sahiwal divisions, Sargodha, Rawalpindi, Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan during the night and morning hours.

Light rain (light snowfall over the hills) was expected at one or two places in Malakand division, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.

In Lahore, it will remain very cold and dry weather with moderate to dense fog during the night and in the morning.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2014