The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Thursday forecast widespread rain-windstorm, thunderstorm across various parts of the country during next 24 hours, with isolated heavy falls and hailstorms expected in several regions. According to the PMD, northeastern Balochistan, upper Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Kashmir are likely to receive widespread rain-windstorm/thunderstorm, while southern and central Balochistan, lower Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan may experience similar weather at isolated places.

The department warned that heavy to very heavy rains may cause flash flooding in northeastern Balochistan including Zhob, Musakhel, Sherani, Barkhan, Sibi, Kohlu, Dera Bugti, Nasirabad, Jhal Magsi, Qilla Saifullah, Qilla Abdullah, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar and Lasbela. Hill torrents are expected in Dera Ghazi Khan, while local streams and nullahs in lower Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Kurram, Waziristan, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Karak, Hangu and Kohat may overflow from tonight till April 03.

Windstorm, hailstorm and lightning may damage weak structures such as electric poles, billboards and solar panels during the forecast period, while standing crops in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh may also be affected. In Islamabad, cloudy weather with intermittent rain windstorm/thunderstorm is expected, with chances of isolated heavy falls and hailstorms.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, widespread rain-windstorm/thunderstorm with snowfall over high mountains is expected in Kurram, Waziristan, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Karak, Hangu, Kohat, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Shangla, Buner, Kohistan, Malakand, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Balakot, Haripur, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Swabi and Charsadda, with isolated heavy falls and hailstorms during the period.

In Punjab, cloudy weather is expected across the province, with scattered rain-windstorm/thunderstorm likely in Murree, Galiyat, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Sargodha, Mianwali, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Khushab, Noorpur Thal, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Pakpattan, Okara, Kasur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Taunsa Sharif, Bhakkar, Layyah, Multan, Kot Addu, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan, with isolated heavy falls and hailstorms.

In Sindh, widespread intermittent rain-windstorm/thunderstorm with isolated heavy falls and hailstorms is expected in Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Umerkot, Nagarparkar, Tharparkar, Dadu, Qambar Shahdadkot, Kashmore, Jacobabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Ghotki, Khairpur, Shaheed Benazirabad and Naushehro Feroze, while Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Thatta, Badin and Sujawal may receive rain at isolated places.

In Balochistan, widespread intermittent rain-windstorm/thunderstorm is expected in Zhob, Musakhel, Sherani, Sibi, Kohlu, Barkhan, Dera Bugti, Jhal Magsi, Nasirabad, Harnai, Loralai, Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Noshki, Mastung, Kalat, Panjgur, Turbat, Kech, Awaran, coastal areas including Gwadar, Pasni and Ormara, Lasbela, Khuzdar, Kharan, Chagai and Dalbandin, with isolated heavy falls and hailstorms particularly in northeastern districts.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)