Intense heatwave to grip most parts of Pakistan over coming days, PMD warns

Most regions of Pakistan will experience an intense heatwave with temperatures rising 5 to 7 degrees Celsius above normal, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). The hot and dry weather is expected to persist for the next three to four days.

The plains will see very hot daytime conditions, while isolated parts of Kashmir and nearby hilly areas may receive light rain, wind, or thunderstorms during afternoons. Northern areas including central and upper Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan are forecast to have temperatures 5 to 7 degrees above average from May 16 to 19.

Southern regions such as Sindh, southern Punjab, and Balochistan will face temperatures 4 to 6 degrees higher than normal through May 20. Islamabad is expected to have very hot, dry weather with chances of partly cloudy skies and gusty winds in the afternoon.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will mainly see hot and dry conditions, with some light rain or thunderstorms possible in districts like Mansehra, Abbottabad, Battagram, and Kohistan. Punjab will face severe heatwave across most districts, though places like Murree, Rawalpindi, and Lahore may have light rain and dust storms in the afternoon.

Sindh and most of Balochistan will continue to experience very hot and dry weather, accompanied by gusty winds, especially in southern districts. Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan will mainly remain dry, with a few areas in Kashmir possibly seeing light rain and thunderstorms.

During the past 24 hours, hot and dry weather prevailed widely, with Dadu and Turbat recording the highest temperatures at 48 degrees Celsius.