PMD forecasts widespread rain, thunderstorms in parts of country on Monday

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast widespread rain and thunderstorms across several parts of the country on Monday, April 6, with warnings of possible flash floods and damage to infrastructure.

In a statement, the Met Office said heavy rain, hailstorms and strong winds are expected in northeast Balochistan, lower Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and south Punjab. Other regions, including Sindh, upper and central Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, may see scattered thunderstorms, particularly during the evening and night.

Authorities have warned that heavy rainfall could trigger flash floods in local streams and nullahs in northeast Balochistan, lower KP and the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan. There is also a risk of landslides and flash flooding in parts of Kashmir, upper KP, Murree and Galiyat on April 7 and 8.

The PMD cautioned that strong winds, lightning and hailstorms could damage weak structures such as electric poles, billboards and solar panels, while standing crops in Punjab, Sindh and KP may also be affected.

In Islamabad, partly cloudy weather is expected with chances of rain and thunderstorms later in the day.

Across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, widespread rain and thunderstorms — along with snowfall over high mountains — are forecast in districts including Peshawar, Mardan, Swat, Abbottabad and Chitral, with isolated heavy falls in lower areas.

Punjab is also expected to receive widespread rain and thunderstorms, particularly in southern districts such as Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Multan and Rahim Yar Khan, while northern areas including Rawalpindi and Murree may see rain later in the evening.

In Sindh, cloudy conditions are likely across most districts, with rain and thunderstorms expected in areas including Sukkur, Larkana and Jacobabad, while cities such as Hyderabad and Karachi may receive isolated showers.

Balochistan is likely to see widespread rain and thunderstorms in districts including Quetta, Zhob, Khuzdar and Sibi, with light to moderate rain expected in coastal areas such as Gwadar and Turbat.