RAWALPINDI: The first winter rain lashed the twin cities on Sunday, bringing a chill to the air and creating a slushy mess in low-lying areas.

Light rain was recorded in Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Sunday, while the Met Office predicted more rain on Monday (today).

People woke up to a wet Sunday as rain started early in the morning, but the sun overpowered the clouds in the afternoon. However, light rain again occurred in various parts of the cities at night.

The chilly weather forced many people to stay indoors, though some ventured out to enjoy the pleasant conditions.

Narrow streets in the downtown areas witnessed a rush, particularly at traditional food outlets such as fish, siri paya and nihari shops, as people sought hot and traditional dishes to enjoy the winter rain and beat the cold breeze.

On the other hand, most areas of the city faced slushy conditions. Ongoing construction work at Kutchery Chowk under the remodelling project created a mess in and around the area.

The Met Office predicted rain, saying that a strong westerly wave was present over the northeastern parts of the country and was likely to persist in the upper regions until Monday.

A Met official said the westerly wave was affecting the western and upper parts of the country. “Rain and wind, with snowfall over mountains, are expected in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. Cold and dry weather is likely to prevail in other parts of the country. Fog and smog are likely to persist over districts of eastern Punjab and upper Sindh,” he said.

The Met Office warned that landslides and snowfall could cause road closures and slippery conditions in Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Murree, Galiyat, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Poonch and Haveli today and tomorrow. An increase in fog intensity is also likely over districts of northeastern Punjab.

According to the Met Office, rainfall recorded included 5 millimetres (mm) in Murree, 1mm at Zero Point, Bokra and Saidpur in Islamabad, and 2mm at Shamsabad and 1mm at Gawalmandi, New Kattarian and Kutchery in Rawalpindi.

The Met official said temperatures would further drop in the coming days following rain and snowfall in the nearby hills.

“The rain has settled the dust and will reduce cases of cold and flu in Rawalpindi. This year, such cases increased in three government-run hospitals due to dry weather. Most patients have to experience cold and flu for about a week due to dust allergy,” said Dr Ahmed Ali of Holy Family Hospital.

He said people should use extra water to wash down dust particles in the upper respiratory tract and avoid going out in cold and dry weather.

Meanwhile, the light rain is beneficial for wheat farms, especially in the Potohar region, which relies on rainfall for agriculture in arid areas.

Muhammad Saleem, a farmer near Gujar Khan, said wheat was sown in November and there was a dire need for rain to support crop growth. “Though it was light rain, farmers are praying for more rainfall, which is necessary for the crops,” he said.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2025