Karachi may experience record-breaking cold temp today

 Karachi may experience record-breaking cold temp today

KARACHI/ ISLAMABAD: The Met Department on Sunday forecast that the metropolis could record its lowest temperature in seven years today because the wave across the country and therefore the city was likely to urge more severe from next week.

In 2013, Karachi had recorded a minimum temperature of 6°C. Another wave is predicted to require hold of the town in January and, consistent with the Met Department, it could rain in Karachi from January 6-7.

A new wave of westerly winds has entered the country thanks to which the severity of cold will increase in Karachi from Monday to Friday. Moreover, strong winds are likely to blow within the city from Sunday. The Met Office said that the weather was expected to sink to the only digit in Karachi.

On the opposite hand, Motorway M2, Lahore to Islamabad, Pindi Bhattian, and M3 from Lahore to Nankana Sahib were closed thanks to the fog. Meanwhile, snowfall within the nearby Murree and Galiyat areas caused bitter cold in Islamabad and its outskirts on Sunday.

Chilly winds including overcast weather and dense fog swept through the region in both the daytime and in the dark , forcing people into spending most of their time indoors over the weekend. Some, however, drove bent drink soup and tea and have snacks and fried fish. Low pressure and gas outages were reported in some areas, adding to problems of residents.

According to the Met Office, rain is probably going to fall in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and adjoining areas on Monday morning. It forecast more snowfall in Murree, Galiyat, Swat, Kohistan, and parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The weathermen said cold conditions were likely to grip upper parts of the country, while foggy conditions would intensify in plain areas of the country with frost in Potohar region and adjoining areas after the rain.

On Sunday, the Met Office recorded three degrees Celsius because the minimum temperature in Islamabad with 69 per cent humidity and 0 degree Centigrade because the minimum temperature within the nearby Murree hill station with 70 per cent humidity.

In Lahore, foggy weather followed by moderate rain was witnessed within the city here on Sunday while the Met office predicted similar weather for subsequent 24 hours. The rain started early morning and continued in spans till late in the dark . The rain increased the coolness within the air forcing majority of the citizens to stay indoors. The rain disrupted traffic movement on majority of the most roads of the capital . the most roads like Ferozpur Road, Multan Road, Egerton Road, Main Boulevard Gulberg, The Mall, Canal Bank Road, Raiwind Road et al. witnessed traffic movement at a snail's pace.

Meanwhile, thousands of picnickers and tourists, including women and youngsters , thronged Landikotal to enjoy snowfall that has been continuing for the last 24 hours. Residents said the primary snowfall of this year broke the 30-year record and it completely covered hills and plain areas with white sheet. consistent with the Met office, the plain areas received a minimum of one feet while the hills received two feet snowfall.

Children and ladies were seen frolicking and enjoying themselves at different places in Landikotal on the Pak-Afghan Highway. Though most of the shops were closed Landikotal bazaar, those offering nutriment , Kabab, BBQ and tea were open full of tourists.

Meanwhile, roads at various spots were jammed thanks to the unexpected rush of vehicles and heavy snowfall. “The heavy snowfall broke the record of the past 30 years. The snow has covered hills and plain areas of Landikotal,” said an area journalist.

Chaudhry Aslam from Attock city had come to Landikotal along side his two children and wife to enjoy the snowfall. an outsized number of tourists , mostly youngsters from Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan and other places in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have arrived in Landikotal to enjoy the snowfall.

Muhammad Habib from Regi Lalma in Peshawar said that that they had planned to go to Murree along side his cousins and friends, but once they saw video clips and pictures of Landikotal snowfall, they changed their minds and came to Landikotal.

However, he said that a scarcity of facilities dampened their enthusiasm. He said they might not make phone calls to friends using the social media apps thanks to the poor internet reception. Meanwhile, the residents complained that electricity supply had been stop to the whole Landikotal since the beginning of the snowfall. The people were seen buying firewood to organize food and keep themselves warm within the freezing cold.

A local elder Zarawar Khan, 65, who lives within the Walikhel area in Landikotal where the temperature never dropped to minus degree before, said for the primary time in his life he saw snowfall at his home. He said the snow fell over on the hilltop within the past.

Met officials said a westerly wave was present over the upper parts of the country and should continue upper parts till Monday. They predicted cold and dry weather in most parts of the country. Rain and snowfall were expected in upper Punjab, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and adjoining hilly areas. They added that dense fog was likely to prevail in central/southern Punjab and upper Sindh.

Sunday’s lowest minimum temperature was recorded at Leh where the mercury dropped right down to -14°C while in Lahore it had been 4.8°C and maximum was 12.6°C. Meanwhile, the schedules of several Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights are affected due to inclemency conditions across the country, it emerged on Sunday.

According to a PIA spokesperson, the schedule of various flights had to be changed after heavy mist engulfed several cities of Pakistan, including Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Sialkot, and its surrounding areas.

The spokesperson added that more flights are expected to be rescheduled due to the fog. "Domestic flights will resume operations after visibility on the runways is ensured," the spokesperson added. "On the opposite hand, international flights will land at alternate airports."

Earlier, 19 domestic and international flights had to be cancelled at the Allama Iqbal International Airport thanks to heavy fog. apart from that, 16 flights are delayed to avoid any untoward situations.