The Met Office on Tuesday warned of moderate to heavy snowfall, expected in the upcountry mountainous region from Thursday to Saturday. In a weather warning, it predicted widespread rains, saying the rainy spell was feared to trigger landslides in the high ranged vulnerable areas of upcountry over the period.
The intense snowfall is expected in Chitral, Kalam, Malamjabba, upper Dir, Kaghan, Naran, Shangla, Murree, Gillyat, Neelum Valley, Rawalakot, Bagh, Haveli, Skardu, Hunza Nager, Ghizer and Ghanche. Widespread rain is likely in Malakand and Hazara divisions besides Kashmir.
"A westerly trough is affecting western and northern parts of the country," the office said, adding that a fresh western disturbance was expected to enter Pakistan's western parts on Wednesday with likelihood to grip upper areas on Thursday that would persist through Friday.
In the next 24 hours, it said that cloudy weather was likely to prevail over upper parts of the country. However, light rain and light snowfall was expected over the hills in Malakand, Hazara and Rawalpindi divisions, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. Fog would continue to grip plains of Punjab and upper Sindh during night and morning hours. The lowest temperature was recorded as minus 11 degrees Celsius in Skardu, Astore minus 8, Gupis and Hunza minus 7 each, Parachinar and Gilgit minus 4 each, Dir, Sibbi, Malamjabba and Bannu minus 2 each, Kalam and Murree minus 1 each.