Daily Times

Light rain fell in a number of locations around the country on Tuesday morning, adding to the coolness in the air and helping to clear the air in Lahore.

After retaining the world’s capital in terms of smog-related pollution, Lahore sighed a sigh of relief on Tuesday morning as the sporadic rain cleared the air.

After months of being at the top with high readings, Lahore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) level was 181 on Tuesday, moving it from the world’s most polluted city to number six.

More rain is expected in the coming days, which would help to reduce pollution levels in Lahore and other polluted towns in Pakistan.

Light showers in Islamabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sahiwal, Chichawatni, Sheikhupura, Mian Channu, Dunyapur, and Jacobabad, as well as Islamabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sahiwal, Chichawatni, Sheikhupura, Mian Channu, Dunyapur, and Jacobabad, making the temperature cool.

A powerful westerly wave has hit western and upper portions of the country, according to the Met Office, and is expected to grip most of the country through Friday.

The Met Office said that rain wind-thunderstorm with snowfall over the hills is expected at scattered places in Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, upper Punjab, Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir during the next 24 hours. Cold and cloudy weather is expected elsewhere in the country.

Isolated heavy falls are also likely in parts of Balochistan while heavy rain and snowfall in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are also likely during the said period.

According to the Met department, rain with isolated heavy falls is expected in Islamabad, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Malakand, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swabi, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Charsadda, Bajaur, Kurram, Waziristan, Kohat, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Sargodha, Khushab, Bhakkar, Mianwali, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore and Kasur until January 7.

Heavy Snowfall is also expected in Quetta, Pishin, Ziarat, Qilla Abdullah, Harnai, Chaman Murree, Galliyat, Neelum valley, Bagh, Haveli, Rawalakot, Naran, Kaghan, Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu, Astore, Chitral, Dir, Swat and Malam Jabba during the said period.

Under the influence of this weather system rain with isolated heavy to very heavy falls is expected in Quetta, Ziarat, Pishin, Zhob, Qila Abdullah, Nokkundi, Dalbandin, Noshki, Turbat, Panjgur, Gwadar, Pasni, Jiwani, Lasbella, Kalat, Khuzdar, Mastung, Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Jhalmagsi, Bolan, Sibbi, Kohlu, Barkhan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Rajanpur, Multan, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Okara, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan, Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad, Dadu, Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Mirpurkhas and Khairpur until January 6.

Meanwhile, cold and partly cloudy weather prevailed over most parts of the country, while very cold in hilly areas during the past 24 hours.

However, the rain was recorded in some areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The lowest minimum temperature was recorded in Leh where mercury fell to -9°C during the past 24 hours.