ISLAMABAD: The westerly wave affecting the western and upper parts of the country will continue to intensify in Balochistan and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but the current system will subside in Rawalpindi and Islamabad for the time being.

After a lull, a fresh rain-bearing system will be active in KP and Azad Kashmir today (Tuesday) evening, whereas northern and central Punjab will witness precipitation from Thursday.

The Met Office has warned of heavy rainfall triggering landslides in Malakand, Hazara, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, as well as flash flooding in local nullahs and riverines in Balochistan and hill torrents in D.G. Khan on Wednesday and Thursday.

Most parts of the country are expected to remain cloudy, while widespread rain and thunderstorms with snow over the hills are expected in the Quetta, Zhob, Kalat and Makran divisions in the coming days.

Scattered rainfall is also expected in Sindh.

The Met Office has said that the overall rainfall in the country between Jan 1 and Feb 10 has been close to normal and above normal in all the provinces except Balochistan.

AJK, GB and Punjab received close to normal and above normal amounts of rainfall this month, while KP received close to normal and Sindh received above normal.

Although Karachi and Badin received traces of rainfall on Monday, more precipitation is expected in the province in the coming days.

The heaviest rainfall recorded thus far was 33 millimetres in Malamjabba and 28mm in Balakot. Malamjabba and Kalam also received 10 inches of snow.

Ziarat and Quetta have received 15mm of rainfall.

Murree received three inches of snow and more is expected in the coming days, while Islamabad received 6mm of rain.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2019