Rain accompanied by wind and thundershowers is predicted for upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northeast Punjab, the Pothohar region, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir on Thursday, with isolated heavy showers expected during the evening and night. This forecast follows intermittent rain over Rawalpindi and Islamabad for the second consecutive day, prompting the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) to deploy staff in vulnerable low-lying zones.
Despite these efforts, drainage issues persist, notably at Jamia Girls Higher Secondary School in Rawalpindi, where rainwater accumulation disrupted classes and caused difficulties for students. In a tragic incident, the body of a girl who drowned in a stormwater drain in Rawalpindi on Monday was recovered. Rescue teams found her dupatta and slippers near Gulberg Green, and CCTV footage of the event has surfaced.
The Meteorological Department also forecast hot and humid conditions across other plain areas of the country. It issued warnings about the potential for heavy rainfall on the nights of September 3 and 4, which could trigger urban flooding in low-lying parts of Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Mardan, Swabi, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Gujrat, and Sialkot. Additionally, heavy rain may cause flash flooding in local streams and nullahs within Kashmir, Murree, Galiyat, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, and the Pothohar region.
In a significant development, the department cautioned about the risk of landslides in the hilly terrains of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Murree, Galiyat, and Kashmir due to these heavy rains. Islamabad and surrounding areas are expected to experience partly cloudy skies with rain-wind and thundershowers, with isolated heavy downpours likely overnight.
Within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rain-wind and thundershowers are forecast for Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Battagram, Buner, Nowshera, Peshawar, Swabi, Mardan, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Malakand, Mohmand, Khyber, Bajaur, Kohat, Parachinar, and nearby regions, with isolated heavy rainfall anticipated during the evening and night.
Punjab will largely remain hot and humid, but rain-wind and thundershowers are expected in Murree, Galiyat, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Chakwal, Attock, Narowal, Sialkot, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, and neighboring areas, with isolated heavy showers possible overnight. Sindh is forecast to stay hot and humid, with partly cloudy conditions and chances of drizzle in coastal zones including Karachi. Balochistan will also experience hot and humid weather in most districts, while coastal areas may see partly cloudy skies.
In Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, partly cloudy weather with rain-wind and thundershowers is predicted, along with isolated heavy rainfall in Kashmir. Over the past 24 hours, rain-wind and thundershowers affected Islamabad, the Pothohar region, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir, with heavy rainfall recorded at isolated locations. Meanwhile, hot and humid weather prevailed across southern parts of the country.
Notably, Saidpur in Islamabad received the highest rainfall at 45mm, followed by Islamabad City with 28mm and the airport area recording 12mm. Saidu Sharif registered 35mm, while Rawalpindi’s New Kattarian and Shamsabad recorded 13mm and 12mm, respectively. The highest daytime temperatures were 43°C at Dalbandin and Nokkundi, with Sibi, Bhakkar, and Dadu reaching 41°C.
Temperature ranges recorded across major cities include Islamabad at 21-33°C, Lahore 27-36°C, Karachi 26-33°C, Peshawar 25-35°C, Quetta 20-37°C, Gilgit 19-33°C, Muzaffarabad 22-36°C, Skardu 15-26°C, Murree 14-23°C, Faisalabad 28-39°C, and Multan 27-38°C.
