Islamabad, December 23, 2023 – As winter tightens its grip on the South Asian nation, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has released the weather forecast for Sunday, December 24, 2023.
According to the PMD, a predominantly cold and dry weather pattern is expected across most regions, with northern areas anticipating partly cloudy conditions and extremely cold temperatures.
The synoptic situation, as described by the PMD, involves a shallow westerly wave impacting the northern parts of the country. This weather system is responsible for the prevailing conditions and is likely to persist into the coming days.
On Saturday, December 23, 2023, the weather maintained its cold and dry demeanor in most parts of the country. The upper regions experienced partly cloudy conditions, with isolated instances of light rain and snowfall in specific areas. Gilgit-Baltistan and upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa saw light rain, accompanied by light snow over mountainous terrain. In addition, fog and smog continued to linger in the plain areas of Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and upper Sindh.
The past 24 hours witnessed a continuation of cold and dry weather in most parts of Pakistan. The upper regions, however, experienced very cold and partly cloudy conditions. Isolated instances of light rain and drizzle occurred in upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the Potohar Region, and southern Punjab.
Rainfall was recorded in various locations, with Dir in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa reporting 2mm in both the upper and lower regions. Other areas receiving rainfall included Bacha Khan Airport, Cherat, and Saidu Sharif with 1mm each. In Punjab, Islamabad, including both the city and airport, received 1mm of rainfall. Rawalpindi’s Chaklala and Khanewal also reported 1mm of precipitation.
As for the recorded lowest minimum temperatures (°C) during the past 24 hours, Skardu led the list with an impressive -08°C. Leh followed closely with -06°C, while Gupis reported -05°C. Kalam, Gilgit, Astore, and Hunza recorded temperatures of -04°C and -03°C, respectively.
Looking forward to Sunday, December 24, 2023, the PMD anticipates a continuation of mainly cold and dry weather across most regions. However, the northern parts of the country, including Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and adjoining hilly areas, may experience partly cloudy conditions with very cold temperatures. Isolated instances of light rain and snowfall over mountains are expected in Gilgit-Baltistan and upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Meanwhile, fog and smog are likely to persist in the plain areas of Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and upper Sindh.
Residents and travelers are advised to stay updated on the latest weather developments and take necessary precautions to navigate the challenging winter conditions.