Warns people living in mountainous areas of KP, GB and Azad Kashmir to be cautious due to risk of landslides
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Monday forecast rain accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds in several parts of the country ahead of the Eid holidays as a fresh westerly wave is expected to enter the country from the afternoon of March 17.
According to the Met Office, the weather system will move into western parts of the country in the afternoon or evening of March 17, gradually spreading over most regions on March 18 before weakening on March 20.
The climate change is linked to a westerly wave, a naturally occurring seasonal weather system that often brings rain, wind and colder temperatures.
Balochistan is likely to be among the first affected regions. Rain and strong winds, along with occasional thunderstorms and isolated hail, are expected in areas such as Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Zhob, Kalat, Khuzdar, Kech, Gwadar, Panjgur and Awaran from the afternoon of March 17 to the morning of March 20, with intermittent breaks.
PMD Weather Alert:
Rain, wind, thunderstorm and snowfall are expected in many parts of Pakistan from March 17 to 20 due to a fresh westerly wave.
Possible hailstorms and a drop in temperatures are expected.
Tourists and farmers advised to be cautious.#PakistanTime #PMD #WeatherAlert pic.twitter.com/VjsD7UHS9T— Pak Met Department محکمہ موسمیات (@pmdgov) March 16, 2026
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is forecast to experience rainy and windy weather with thunderstorms and snowfall over higher mountains in districts such as Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Peshawar, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Kohat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Waziristan. Isolated hailstorms may also occur in some areas.
Rain and strong winds are also expected in Punjab and Islamabad. Cities like Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sargodha and Sahiwal are likely to receive rain with occasional thunderstorms and isolated hail from the night of March 17 to the morning of March 20. Southern Punjab districts such as Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rahim Yar Khan may see similar conditions on March 18 and 19.
Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir are also expected to experience cloudy weather with rain, thunderstorms and snowfall at higher elevations. Areas like Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu, Diamir, Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley, Poonch, Mirpur and Kotli may experience more intense spells, especially in parts of Kashmir.
Read more: Rains bring relief as weather system moves towards Punjab
Sindh is forecast to experience cloudy conditions with occasional rain and thunderstorms on March 18 and 19 in districts such as Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Mirpurkhas, Badin and Thatta.
The Met Office has warned that people living in mountainous areas of KP, GB and Azad Kashmir should be cautious due to the risk of landslides on mountain slopes and roads.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a detailed weather advisory stating that widespread rain, breezy conditions and occasional thunderstorms are expected to move across much of the country from the afternoon of March 17 to 20, overlapping with… pic.twitter.com/ddyQEx2c6O
— APP (@appcsocialmedia) March 16, 2026
Lightning may also occur in isolated locations during stormy periods, and residents are advised to stay indoors during periods of heavy rain.
Farmers have been advised to take necessary precautions to protect crops as isolated hailstorms could damage standing crops in some areas. Daytime temperatures across the country are also expected to drop slightly during the period.
Also read: NDMA issues warning for rain and thunderstorms in Pakistan from March 14 to 16
Travelers and tourists were advised to plan Eid trips according to weather conditions and avoid unnecessary travel during heavy rains.
Officials said relevant government departments were alerted to ensure public safety.
