RAWALPINDI: Rain varying from light to heavy lashed the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Friday morning, adding chill to the air while creating slushy mess in the low lying areas.
The rain started at 6:30am and continued till 11am with gaps. The sun overpowered the clouds in the afternoon. However, chill can be felt in the evening.
The Met Office recorded rain at 23 millimeter in Saidpur, 12mm at Zero Point, 4mm at Bokra and 3mm at Golra in Islamabad while 16mm at Shamsabad, 13mm at Chaklala, 9mm at New Kattarian, 7mm at Gawalmandi,4mm at Pirwadhai and 6mm at Katcheri.
According to Met Office, the deep depression over northeast Arabian Sea intenfied into a cyclonic storm over the same region and likely to move west northwestwards. A westerly wave is affecting upper parts of the country and likely to intensify on Saturday (Evening).
“Partly cloudy weather with rain-wind/thundershower is likely in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Upper Punjab and coastal areas of Sindh. Hot & dry weather is likely to prevail over other parts of the country,” it said.
The Met Office warned that the windstorm and lightning (at few places) may damage weak structures like roof/wall of Kacha houses, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels, etc., in lower Sindh during the forecast period.
Possibility of landslides in vulnerable hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Murree, Galliyat and Kashmir during the forecast period. Heavy downpour may cause urban flooding in low lying areas of Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Faisalabad from Oct 4 (night) to 6.
Heavy rains may generate flash floods in local nullahs/streams of Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad/Rawalpindi and Kashmir from Oct 4 to 6. Day & Night Temperatures are likely to drop significantly during the wet spell.
Snowfall is also likely over the high mountains of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Travelers are advised to avoid unusual exposure to vulnerable areas and keep themselves updated about latest weather conditions.
Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2025
