RAWALPINDI: A cold wave coupled with dense fog gripped the twin cities on Thursday.

Both cities will remain misty throughout Friday, said the Met Office.

Domestic and international flights, train services and traffic on motorway remained affected. The weather turned sunny in the afternoon, clearing the fog but people remained indoors due to severe cold.

“Rawalpindi and Islamabad witnessed dense fog that will persist through the morning and late at night,” the Met Office added.

“The fog will again start creeping on the twin cities late on Thursday night and will continue until Friday morning,” said an official at the Met Office.

The minimum temperature was recorded at 1°C in both cities. “The temperature has not dropped to zero because of moisture in the air. The biting cold is being felt as moisture is brought through winds coming from the plain areas of Punjab,” he said, adding continental air was prevailing over most parts of the country.

Dense fog is likely to spread in plain areas of Punjab, Potohar region and upper Sindh. Harsh cold weather is expected in Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and north Balochistan while cold and dry in other parts of the country.

Today’s lowest minimum temperatures were: Skardu -16°C, Leh, Astore -14°C, Gupis -12 °C, Kalat , Hunza, Bagrote -8 °C, Gilgit, Parachinar -7°C, Kalam -5°C and Dalbandin -4°C.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2021