RAWALPINDI: The Met Office has predicted heavy rain and thunderstorms for the next three days, starting from Thursday. The weather will likely disrupt Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Rawalpindi.

National Disaster Management Authority also issued weather alert and asked the relevant departments to issue necessary instructions to stakeholders in the light of fresh weather forecast. In an alert, the authority asked the district administrations to remain vigilant in restoring road links.

The Met Office said that a westerly weather system is likely to enter upper parts of the country Thursday evening and persist under Saturday.

Under the influence of this weather system, wind-thunderstorms with rain and a few hailstorms are expected in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Chakwal, Attock, Sargodha, Mianwali, Khushab, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Sahiwal, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat and Sialkot during Friday and Saturday.

Rain with dust-raising winds may also be likely in D.G. Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar on Friday.

In addition, rain and wind-thunderstorms and a few hailstorms with snowfall over the hills is expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including in Chitral, Swat, Dir, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Peshawar, Charsadda, Swabi, Mardan, Kurram and Kohat from Thursday to Saturday and in Bannu and D.I. Khan from Thursday evening to Friday.

Rain with wind-thunderstorms and snowfall over the hills is also expected in Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan from Thursday evening to Saturday, and rain and wind-thunderstorms are expected in Quetta, Pishin, Zhob, Chaman, Qila Saifullah and Qila Abdullah in Balochistan from Thursday to Friday morning.

Dry weather is expected in Sindh during this period, along with dust-raising winds are expected in Sukkur, Jacobabad and Larkana.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2020