ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast “widespread” rain and snowfall in northern parts of the country in the coming days, saying that a shallow westerly wave was likely to reach the upper regions on Friday.

The weather system is likely to strengthen from Jan. 20 and grip most parts of the country from Jan. 21, bringing rain, thunderstorm and snowfall to several areas, according to a PMD advisory. Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree and Galliyat will experience rain/thunderstorm with light to moderate snowfalls Jan. 16 till Jan. 20, with occasional gaps.

Widespread rain/thunderstorm is expected in these areas along with Islamabad, and Punjab’s Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sahiwal, Multan, Faisalabad, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur divisions, as well as KP’s Peshawar, Hazara, Malakand, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu, and Dera Ismail Khan districts on Jan. 20-23.

“Heavy snowfall is expected [in] Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Shangla, Kohistan, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Murree, Galliyat, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Haveli, Rawalakot from 20th (night) to 23rd January with occasional gaps,” the PMD said.

Similarly, rain/thunderstorm is expected in Balochistan’s Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Killa Saifullah, Nushki, Harnai, Zhob, Kalat, Barkhan, Sibi, Loralai, Musakhel, Turbat, Gawadar, Jiwani, Lasbella, Kech, Awaran, Chaghi, Panjgur, Khuzdar, Washuk and Kharan districts on Jan. 21-22.