Normal rainfall forecast for mountainous region

Pakistan's mountainous region is likely to receive overall a normal rainfall but its southern parts may suffer a below normal precipitation this month, the Met Office said on Saturday. Fog is expected to grip plains of central and lower Punjab, Peshawar and Hazara Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this month because of the persistent low temperature.
Northern parts of the country including upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir may get a slightly above normal rainfall and snowfall. Southern Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan are likely to suffer a slightly below normal rainfall. "The global climate forcing indicates that El-Nino (ENSO) conditions are likely to strengthen during the month of January-2018. The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) will persist in its neutral phase," the Met said.
Drought: Pakistan's southern parts are likely to suffer from the continuing lack of rains during this week with Badin, Dadu, Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Jamshoro, Karachi, Khairpur, Larkana, Mityari, Mohenjo-Daro, Naushero Feroze, Qambar Shadadkot, Sukkur, Sajawal, Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Tharparkar, Thatta, and Umerkot Districts in Sindh.
Besides Awaran, Bolan, Chaghi, Gwadar, Kech, Kharan, Noushki, Mastung, Panjgur, Quetta and Washuk in Balochistan may witness drought. "Normal conditions are likely to prevail in the northern half of the country over the period, it said.
In the next 24 hours: Scattered rain-thunderstorm with snow over the hills is expected in Malakand, Hazara and Rawalpindi Divisions, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. Isolated fall are likely in Peshawar, Kohat, Mardan, Bannu, D.I. Khan, Quetta, Zhob, Sargodha, Faisalabad and Gujranwala Divisions.
Fog is expected in South Punjab and upper Sindh during morning and night hours. Snowfall over mountains is expected in Murree, Galliyat and Malakand Division, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir from Friday night until Sunday morning. "Continental air is prevailing over most parts of the country. A fresh westerly wave is likely to approach western parts of the country on Friday," the Met said.
In the past 24 hours: Cold and dry weather gripped the most parts of the country with fog engulfing plains of Punjab and upper Sindh. Minimum temperature was recorded in Kalam as minus 11 degrees Celsius, Skardu minus 10, Gupis and Astore minus 7, each, Bagrote minus 6, Malamjabba, Rawalakot and Hunza minus 4, each, Dir minus 3, Chitral, Parachinar and Gilgit minus 2, each, and Kakul and Kalat minus 1, each.