Balochistan witnesses snowfall, rains as another westen system enters province

• Snowfall reported in Quetta, Ziarat and Kalat.
• Chaman and surrounding areas receive heavy rains.
• PMD forecasts snowfall, rain in various areas till Tuesday.
  

Another western weather system has entered Balochistan via Iran, resulting in snowfall and rain across the province.

Snowfall has been reported in the provincial capital Quetta, Ziarat and Kalat, which has recorded three inches of snowfall — total 4.5 inches overnight.

Meanwhile, Chaman and the surrounding areas have received heavy rains, leaving the low-lying areas inundated. Showers have also been reported in Mastung, Noshki and Kharan, along with downpour and hail in Gwadar and surrounding areas.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast snowfall and rain in various areas of the country till Tuesday (tomorrow), including parts of Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with Islamabad, Murree and Galyat.

Intermittent downpour is also expected in Lahore, Multan and other parts of Punjab.

Additionally, snowfall has also been witnessed in GB's Babusar Top and Nanga Parbat, both of which have received as much as 10 inches of snowfall so far.

In light of the PMD's forecast, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued an alert, warning the masses of rain and snowfall in KP, Balochistan, GB and AJK, in the next 12 hours.

The authority noted that rain was expected in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Malakand, Kurram, Waziristan, Peshawar, Swabi, Karak, Bunder, DI Khan and Mansehra, while Astore, Gilgit, Ghizr, Diamer, Skardu, Hunza and other areas expect snowfall.

Pointing out the possibility of slippery roads resulting in affected traffic flow, the NDMA advised caution and has urged people to avoid unnecessary travel during snowfall and rain.

A day earlier, the Met Office had said that a new series of westerly winds is expected to enter western parts of the country, spreading towards the northern areas by Monday (today).

The PMD, in its weather forecast for Balochistan issued Sunday night, said that cold and partly cloudy weather is expected in most districts of the province.

It said that strong winds and thunderstorms are likely in Chaghi, Noshki, Mastung, Kharan, Panjgur, Turbat, Kech, Awaran, Gwadar, Quetta, Ziarat, Qila Saifullah, Qila Abdullah, Chaman, Zhob and surrounding areas.