Glacial gales: Karachiites warned to bundle up for intense cold snap

Karachiites will have to bundle themselves up for a spell of bone-marrow-chilling cold as the weather is about to get uglier with wanton glacial winds buffeting the coastal city of over 20 million with all their might in the next two to three days, the weather department said Saturday.

As per the forecast by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the mercury in the port city is expected to drop to 5°C-3°C during the spell that will continue till January 16.

Meanwhile, the PMD said that the snowfall had stopped in Murree but the intensity of the weather was the same. The citizens faced inconvenience due to water freezing within the pipelines in the hill station, a popular tourist spot in winter.

In Punjab, M2 Motorway has been closed for traffic from Lahore to Khanqah Dogran as fog continues to blanket the province. The motorway has been closed for traffic from Faizpur to Jaranwala and M11 from Lahore to Sambaryal.

As per PMD's weekly weather outlook, cold and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country, with fog and snowfall in specific areas, throughout the week.

"Mainly cold and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country, while it may be very cold in upper parts and north Balochistan. Frost is likely to be witnessed in Pothohar region, Kashmir and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during morning hours. Foggy condition is likely in upper Sindh, Punjab and plain areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa," the outlook stated.

Karachi and Sindh are experiencing the current cold spell because of the influence of a westerly system that entered the province via Balochistan, the PMD said last week.

The Met department also predicted cold and dry weather in most parts of the country while cloudy conditions in western and upper districts.