LAHORE: The westerly wave began producing rain and snowfall over the hills on Wednesday, sending a fresh wave of cold across the country.

According to the Met department, the westerly wave was expected to persist till Thursday (today) night, producing more rain and snowfall during this time.

Quetta received 22mm of rain, Kalat 14, Barkhan 7, Zhob 2, Nokkundi 1, Parachinar 17, Bannu and Malamjaba 3, Layyah 5, Kot Addu, Gujranwala and Mandi Bahauddin 4, Chakwal, Jhang and Multan 2, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Joharabad, Sahiwal, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bhakkar 1.

It remained cloudy in Lahore and adjoining cities, while it drizzled in some localities.

Skardu was the coldest place in the country with a -19 degree Celsius temperature. It was followed by Astore -16, Bagrote, Kalam and Gupis -12, Hunza -6, Parachinar -5, Dir and Malamjabba -4, Drosh and Rawalakot -3, Mirkhani and Kakul -2, Gilgit, Kamra, Chitral and Bunji -1.

The Met department has forecast widespread rain and thunderstorm in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat and Mardan divisions), upper Punjab (Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Lahore and Faisalabad divisions), Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, while at scattered places in Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Multan, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan divisions, and at isolated places in Mirpurkhas division in the next 24 hours.

Moderate to heavy falls are also expected at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara divisions, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Snowfall over the hills is also expected in Malakand division (Swat, Chitral, Kalam, Malamjabba and Upper Dir), Hazara division, Murree, Galiyat, AJK and GB.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2019