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ISLAMABAD: A new wave of western disturbances entering the country via Iran has brought heavy rain and snowfall to Balochistan as well as northern and hilly regions, accompanied by cold temperatures.&nbsp;The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued an alert for further&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-issues-cold-wave-warning-for-northern-upper-regions" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">severe weather&nbsp;</a>over the next 12 hours.&nbsp;According to the Meteorological Department in Quetta, Ziarat and Qalat recorded snowfall, with Qalat receiving up to 4.5 inches. In Gilgit-Baltistan, Babusar Top and Nanga Parbat areas experienced up to 10 inches of snow, severely affecting movement and travel. Meanwhile, NDMA&rsquo;s National Emergencies Operations Center warned that rain is expected in most districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir, while hilly areas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/more-than-75000-domestic-tourists-visit-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-during-new-years" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">may see snowfall</a>.&nbsp;In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rainfall is likely in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Malakand, Kurram, Waziristan, Mansehra, Mohmand, Buner, Haripur, Abbottabad, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Sawabi, Karak, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, and Kohat. In Gilgit-Baltistan, rain and snow are expected in Gilgit, Astore, Ghanche, Diamer, Skardu, Hunza, and Shigar, while in Azad Kashmir, Bagh, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Havelian, Kotli, Bhimber, and Neelum are likely to experience rain and snowfall in upper areas.&nbsp;NDMA cautioned that rain and snow could make roads slippery and disrupt traffic. Citizens have been advised to avoid non-essential travel and follow precautionary measures.&nbsp;Meanwhile, in Balochistan, rain was recorded in Chaman, Mastung, Noshki, and Kharan, while Gwadar and surrounding areas experienced hail along with rain, leading to waterlogging in low-lying areas.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 552px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2015348480060113389&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=92f6202c4d95765916e7e6012632060f0f36d306&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2015348480060113389"></iframe></div></div>NDMA has instructed rescue agencies and road maintenance departments to remain alert due to potential risks, adding that the National Emergencies Operations Centre is continuously monitoring the situation and providing advance information to the public.&nbsp;Relief operations continueRelief efforts continued in remote and high-altitude areas, including Tirah Valley, Kotli, Nakyal and Leepa Valley, where the Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps evacuated stranded families, reopened roads and distributed essential supplies. A helicopter evacuation was also carried out in Leepa Valley to airlift a patient after ground access was cut off.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Rescue 1122, Tourism Police and Quick Response Force teams rescued three stranded tourists from Siri Paye after an eight-hour foot operation, safely transferring them to Shogran. The PMD said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/cold-wave-grips-pakistan-fog-and-freezing-temperatures-set-to-intensify" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">cold and partly cloudy weather</a>&nbsp;will persist in most districts of Balochistan, with strong winds and thunderstorms likely in Chaghi, Noshki, Mastung, Kharan, Panjgur, Turbat, Kech, Awaran, Gwadar, Quetta, Ziarat, Qila Saifullah, Qila Abdullah, Chaman and Zhob. Authorities urged residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly in mountainous regions, warning of landslides, avalanches and hazardous road conditions as winter weather persists.

Climate & Environment

NDMA cautions that rain and snow could make roads slippery and disrupt traffic. Citizens have been advised to avoid non-essential travel and follow precautionary measures.


Fresh western system brings heavy snowfall, rain to northern Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast more rain and snowfall in the northern parts of the country as a strong westerly weather system continues to affect the region, following heavy snowfall in several hill stations.&nbsp;Murree recorded 17 inches of snowfall on Friday, the highest in nearly 20 years, while Malam Jabba received 39 inches, Kalam 30 inches, and Chitral 16 inches, according to PMD data shared by meteorologist Ghulam Murtaza. In Balochistan, Quetta recorded 1.2 inches and Qalat 1.6 inches of snowfall.<div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bv5cuAEDEWs" title="Snowfall blankets large parts of Pakistan" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;"></iframe>&nbsp;</div>Snowfall continued on Saturday, though with reduced intensity in some areas. Malam Jabba received an additional 25 inches, Murree 5.5 inches, Kalam 3.5 inches, while Kakul recorded 1 inch of snowfall at ground level.&nbsp;Heavy rain accompanied by a hailstorm also lashed Rawalpindi and Islamabad, while snowfall in Murree pushed temperatures down to around 4 degrees Celsius. Due to hazardous conditions, authorities closed the Murree Expressway and restricted the entry of vehicles into the hill station.&nbsp;The PMD said the current wet spell is likely to persist, with another westerly wave expected to bring more rain and snowfall from Sunday to Tuesday. Temperatures are expected to drop further once cloud cover clears, and cold westerly winds intensify.&nbsp;After a prolonged dry spell, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) also received widespread rain and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/hundreds-of-hikers-rescued-from-everest-after-severe-snowstorm" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">snowfall</a>, with upper areas blanketed in thick snow. Landslides were reported at some locations, disrupting traffic.&nbsp;The Met Office warned that heavy snowfall and rain may cause road closures and slippery conditions in Murree, Galliyat, Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Chitral, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Poonch, Haveli, and Rawalakot. Tourists have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel, while authorities have been asked to remain vigilant.&nbsp;Climate change perspectiveClimate experts link the late but intense snowfall to changing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-issues-cold-wave-warning-for-northern-upper-regions" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">winter patterns</a>. Dr Zainab Naeem, an environmental scientist at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), said Pakistan&rsquo;s winter rain and snow depend on western disturbances, which have become weaker and more erratic due to climate change.&nbsp;She said delayed winter systems often result in prolonged dry spells followed by short bursts of heavy precipitation. &ldquo;Winter is arriving later and lasting for a shorter time, but extreme events like intense snowfall are becoming more frequent,&rdquo; she said, warning of increased risks of landslides, avalanches, and travel disruptions in northern areas.

Kaghan Valley receives heavy snowfall on Friday, January 23, 2026. (Photo: Maryam Shah/Pakistan TV Digital) 

Articles tagged with "snowfall"

Fresh western system brings heavy snowfall, rain to northern Pakistan

Pakistan's north to receive more snowfall: PMD