Islamabad, April 18, 2026 – The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Saturday forecast rain-wind and thunderstorm activity for Islamabad and surrounding areas on Sunday, April 19, warning of possible isolated hailstorms and broader weather instability across parts of the country.
According to the latest advisory, Islamabad is expected to remain partly cloudy on Sunday, with a 30% probability of rain-wind and thunderstorms during morning hours. The PMD said similar conditions may also persist overnight into Saturday, with isolated hailstorms possible in the federal capital and adjoining regions.
The weather system is being driven by a westerly wave affecting western and upper parts of the country, which is expected to continue influencing conditions until the afternoon of April 19.
At the national level, the PMD issued a weather warning, cautioning that heavy rainfall may trigger landslides in vulnerable areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. The department also warned of rising water levels in local streams and nullahs due to intensified rainfall activity.
It further said that hailstorms and strong winds could damage standing crops in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and upper Punjab. Windstorms, lightning, and hail may also pose risks to weak infrastructure, including electric poles, billboards, and solar panels.
On Saturday, rain-wind and thunderstorm activity, including isolated hail, is expected across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, upper Punjab, Islamabad, and northern Balochistan. Moderate to heavy rainfall is likely in upper KP, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan, while dry conditions are expected in other regions.
For Sunday, the PMD said most parts of the country will remain dry and hot, though isolated rain-wind or thunderstorm activity may still occur in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Potohar region, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
In the past 24 hours, weather remained hot and dry across most of Pakistan, although scattered rainfall was recorded in several northern and western regions. Parachinar received 53 mm of rain, followed by Pattan with 26 mm and Malam Jabba with 20 mm. Islamabad-adjacent Murree recorded 2 mm of rainfall.
The PMD said maximum temperatures reached 42°C in Mithi and 41°C in Shaheed Benazirabad, reflecting continued hot conditions in southern parts of the country despite intermittent rainfall activity in the north.