• Met Office warns that strong winds, hailstorms and lightning could damage weak structures, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels
• Daytime temperatures likely to fall by 2-4°C during forecast period

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast rain, windstorms and thunderstorms, with isolated hailstorms, in the upper and central parts of the country from the weekend, with occasional gaps.

The Met Office said light snowfall was also likely over high mountains and glaciers during the forecast period. Daytime temperatures are expected to drop by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius. In its forecast issued on Friday, the department said a westerly wave was likely to enter the upper parts of the country on Saturday and persist until October 15.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Rain, windstorms and thunderstorms, with isolated hailstorms, are expected in Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Buner, Malakand, Bajaur, Mohmand, Kohat, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Hangu, Lakki Marwat, Karak, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Waziristan from October 10 to 15.

Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan

Rain, windstorms and thunderstorms, with isolated hailstorms, are expected at isolated places in Kashmir, including the Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber and Mirpur, as well as in Gilgit-Baltistan, including Diamer, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche and Shigar, from October 10 to 15, with occasional gaps.

Balochistan

Mainly hot and dry weather is expected to prevail across the province. However, rain, windstorms and thunderstorms are likely at isolated places in Zhob, Barkhan and Musakhel on October 10, 11 and 13.

Sindh

Mainly hot and dry weather is expected to continue over the coming days.

Regarding potential impacts, the Met Office warned that windstorms, hailstorms and lightning could damage vulnerable structures, including the roofs and walls of mud houses, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels.

Hailstorms could also damage standing crops in the plains of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the forecast period.

Farmers have been advised to plan their agricultural activities in accordance with the expected weather conditions.

Punjab

Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Friday issued a province-wide alert in anticipation of rain across Punjab over the coming days.

According to the PDMA Punjab, a westerly wave is expected to enter the upper parts of the country on Saturday, bringing rain to most districts of Punjab between October 10 and 14.

A PDMA spokesperson said rain accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms was expected on October 10, 11, 13 and 14 in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Murree, the Galiyat region, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Narowal and Mianwali.

Similarly, intermittent rain accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms was forecast for Faisalabad, Khushab, Bhakkar, Sargodha, Jhang and Toba Tek Singh on October 10, 11 and 13.

Imran Gabol in Lahore also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2026