Murree, various parts of Punjab to witness rain, snowfall from Dec 20: PDMA

• Western weather system to enter Balochistan on Dec 19.
• PDMA warns of road closures, forecasts slippery conditions.
• Authority advises tourists to avoid unnecessary travel.

LAHORE: Punjab's Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has said that rainfall and snowfall are likely to be witnessed in Murree, Rawalpindi and other parts of Punjab from December 20.

Citing the entry of a western disturbance in Balochistan on December 19 (tomorrow), the PDMA said that rain and thunderstorms were expected in the Potohar region, Mianwali, Bhakkat, Poorpurthal, Layyah and Galliyat till December 21.

The authority further said that owing to cloudy situations, drizzle is expected in Lahore, Sargodha, Khushab, Faisalabad, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Sheikhupura, Mutan, Jhan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Toba Tek Singh on December 20 and 21.

Warning that snowfall may cause road closures along with slippery conditions in Murree and Galliyat from December 20 to December 22, the PDMA has advised tourists to ensure extra caution and avoid unnecessary travel during this period.

Addressing the smog/fog issue currently plaguing Punjab, it said that the issue is likely to continue in the central and northern parts of the province.

The PDMA further requested the district administration and relevant departments to ensure sufficient round-the-clock staffing in DEOCs, coordinate with relevant departments to ensure a unified prompt response, and make sure that hindrances in water channels are cleared.

The authority further recommended pre-position of Rescue 1122 teams with the necessary equipment.

A day earlier, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had forecast a downpour across the country from December 20 to December 22 due to a western weather system.

The Met Office said that rain and snowfall were likely in Balochistan's Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Noushki, Harnai, Zhob, Turbat, Gwadar, Lasbella, Kech, Awaran, Khuzdar, Kalat and other areas from December 19 to December 20.

Meanwhile, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PMD said that showers and snowfall were expected in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Bajaur, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Waziristan, Nowshera, Bannu, DI Khan, Kohat and other areas from December 20 to December 22.

In Sindh, it said that partly cloudy weather was expected on December 19 and 2,0, but no rain was likely during this time.