A cold wave is likely to grip Pakistan after October 17 under the impact of snowfall on mountains and rain in parts of the country, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said on Thursday.

“[…] a westerly system is likely to enter upper parts on 13th October (evening/night) and likely to spread upper/central parts on 14th (night),” a weather advisory issued by the Met Office stated.

The PMD forecast intermittent rain with wind thunderstorm in moderate isolated falls in the upper areas including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Malakand, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Swabi, Khyber, Mohmand, Bajaur, Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera, Charsadda, Kurram, Kohat, Hangu, Orakzai, Bannu, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Tank, Waziristan and Dera Ismail Khan from the evening of October 13 till 17.

The same is the forecast for areas of Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan (GB).

Moderate to isolated heavy falls are expected in Kashmir’s Neelum valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, Mirpur, and Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, Shigar areas of Gilgit Baltistan, during the same period.

Areas including Islamabad, Potohar region, Murree, Galiyat, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Okara, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Sargodha, Khushab, Noorpurthal, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang and Kasur expected to witness similar weather conditions from October 13 to 17.

While Layyah, Bhakkar, Kot Addu, Sahiwal, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan are likely to receive rain and thunderstorms from the evening of October 16 to 18.

Snowfall over the high mountains of KP, Kashmir and GB and isolated hailstorms in the plains of KP during the forecast period are also expected.

Meanwhile in Sindh and Balochistan, areas of Jacobabad, Kashmore, Shikarpur, Sukkur, Ghotki, Khairpur, Sanghar and Umerkot, and Sherani, Musa Khel, Zhob, Qilla Saifullah, Loralai, Barkhan, Kohlu, Sibbi, Bolan, Kalat, Harnai, Naseerabad, Dera Bugti, Jaffarabad, Qila Abdullah, Pishin, Quetta and Ziarat will receive rain with wind and thunderstorm on October 17 and 18.

Impacts

• Temperatures are likely to drop significantly.
• Moderate to heavy falls may increase water flows in local nullahs/streams and may trigger landslides in the vulnerable areas of Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra & Abbottabad during the spell.
• Heavy rain may generate urban flooding in Rawalpindi and Lahore on October 15 and 16.

The Met Office also advised the farmers to manage their crop activities accordingly, while tourists and travellers were suggested to remain cautious during the forecast period.