LAHORE - Parts of the country received scattered rains, snowfall over the hills on Wednesday with experts predicting the prevailing conditions to persist during the next couple of days.
Overcast conditions, rains and snowfall increased the intensity of cold wave by causing considerable decrease in temperature during the day and at nighttime.
Rain (with snow over the hills) occurred at scattered places in upper Khyber PK, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and at isolated places in upper Punjab, northwest Balochistan.
Gupis, Kalat and Parachinar remained coldest places in the country where mercury dropped 04 degree Celsius below freezing point. Mercury dropped to -03 C in Dalbandin, Drosh, Kalam, Murree and Quetta.
Maximum and minimum temperature in Lahore was recorded 21 C and 08 C respectively. Relative humidity in the evening was recorded 46 per cent.
According to the experts, westerly trough is affecting upper parts of the country and likely to move northeastward during next 12 to 24 hours. A fresh western disturbance has approached Balochistan and would extend to upper and central parts of the country on Thursday.
Local meteorological department has forecast rain (with snowfall over the hills) at scattered places of Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha divisions, Balochistan, Upper Khyber PK (Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu) divisions, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and at isolated places of Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Multan, D G Khan, D I Khan divisions during the next couple of days.
On Wednesday, Khuzdar received 37 mm rain, Garidupatta and Pattan 33 mm each, Saidu Sharif 25 mm, Parachinar 19 mm, Dir 17 mm, Rawalakot 16 mm, Muzaffarabad 15 mm, Balakot 14 mm, Kalat 11 mm, Murree 08 mm, Kotli and Lower Dir 07 mm each, Drosh 06 mm, Kakul, Chitral and Dalbandin 03 mm each, Chaklala, Kalam, Jaccobabad and Quetta 02 mm each.
Snowfall: Kalam 3.5 ft, Murree 03 ft and Malamjabba 01ft.