The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a weather advisory forecasting a fresh spell of harsh, dry cold to grip most parts of the country on Thursday. The conditions are set to disrupt daily life significantly, with dense fog expected in several key regions and intense cold prevailing in the northern territories.
Province-Wise Breakdown of Severe Conditions
According to the PMD, the federal capital Islamabad and its surrounding areas will experience partly cloudy and cold weather, with a chance of frost in isolated spots during the early morning. The province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be dominated by cold and dry weather, while its hilly areas will face very cold and partly cloudy conditions. Residents should brace for moderate to dense fog in major districts including Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera, Charsadda, Swabi, Bannu, Karak, Lakki Marwat, and Dera Ismail Khan during morning and night hours.
In Punjab, cold and dry weather will be the norm in most districts. The popular tourist destinations of Murree and Galiyat will witness very cold and partly cloudy skies. A widespread dense fog is predicted to envelop numerous cities, severely impacting visibility. The affected areas include:
- Sialkot, Narowal, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal
- Gujranwala, Gujrat, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Okara, Kasur
- Sahiwal, Khanewal, Faisalabad, Jhang, Mianwali
- Layyah, Bhakkar, Noorpur Thal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur
- Shorkot, Multan, Kot Addu, Bahawalnagar, Khanpur, Bahawalpur, and Rahim Yar Khan.
Frost may also form at a few places in the Pothohar region in the morning.
Fog and Frost Extend to Sindh, Balochistan, and Northern Regions
The cold and dry pattern will extend to most districts of Sindh. Here, moderate to dense fog is likely to cover areas including Sukkur, Rohri, Shikarpur, Kashmore, Shaheed Benazirabad, Dadu, Larkana, Tando Jam, and Mohenjodaro. Balochistan will also remain mainly cold and dry, with its northern districts expecting very cold and partly cloudy weather. Fog may develop over Dera Bugti, Kohlu, Dera Murad Jamali, Jaffarabad, Naseerabad, Jhal Magsi, and Sibbi in the morning.
The regions of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are forecast to experience very cold and partly cloudy weather, with isolated frost expected in Kashmir during the early hours.
Recap of Past 24 Hours and Record Low Temperatures
Over the previous day, cold and dry weather prevailed across most of Pakistan, with hilly areas recording very cold conditions. Frost was observed at isolated places in Kashmir and the Pothohar region, while moderate to dense fog affected most districts of Punjab, upper Sindh, and the plains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The ongoing cold wave remains particularly severe in the northern areas. Leh and Skardu were the coldest recorded places, with temperatures plunging to a biting minus 11 degrees Celsius. Gupis recorded minus 09°C, while Astore and Gilgit saw lows of minus 08°C. Bagrote reported minus 07°C and Hunza minus 06°C, underscoring the intense grip of winter across the country's northern territories.
