Alert issued as Pakistan braces for widespread rains today

Published January 22, 2026
This image show vehicles on Karachi’s Abdullah Haroon Road during a spell of winter rain on Dec 27, 2021. — APP/ File
This image show vehicles on Karachi’s Abdullah Haroon Road during a spell of winter rain on Dec 27, 2021. — APP/ File

ISLAMABAD: The aut­h­or­ities on Wednesday issued an alert amid a forecast of heavy rain and snow across the country on Jan 22 and 23, which may flood streams and cause road closures.

According to the Pak­istan Meteorological Dep­a­r­tment (PMD), rain and heavy snowfall will affect all provinces as well as the northern regions during the forecast period, as the National Disaster Manage­ment Authority asked citizens to take precautions.

Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Chitral, Ko­h­­i­s­tan, Mansehra, Abb­ottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Murree, Gal­iyat, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Poonch, Haveli, and Rawalakot will experience heavy rain and snowfall.

In Punjab, widespread intermittent rain and thu­n­derstorms are expec­ted across major cities, including Rawalpindi and Lah­ore. In Islamabad, cloudy weather is expected with intermittent rain, while heavy rain and hailstorms may occur at isolated places.

Balochistan and KP will also experience widespread intermittent rain and snow across all major districts. In Sindh, cold and cloudy weather is exp­e­cted across most of the province, with rain likely in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, and Larkana, among other cities.

In light of the wet spell, NDMA asked provincial and district administrations to be on alert. Punjab’s PDMA also urged tourists and residents to take precautionary measures as heavy rain and snowfall are forecast in Murree, Galiyat etc.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2026

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