Cold Wave in Pakistan: Lahore in freezing point after 1935
Pakistan Times Wire Service

LAHORE: Like most other parts of the province, Provincial Metropolis remained in the grip of cold wave on Saturday with mercury dipping below freezing point in the city for the first time after 1935.

Local met office has forecast cold and dry weather for all parts of the province during the next 24 hours.

Minimum temperature dropped from yesterday's 0.0 Celsius to -01.0 C on Saturday making weather extremely chilly while humidity was recorded at 82 per cent in the morning and 30 per cent in the evening.

Chief Meteorologist Shaukat Awan said that the whole area including India and Nepal are in grip of cold wave due to high pressure area.

He said as wind direction is north west and north east cold wave from northern region,where core of the high pressure area lies, is affecting all parts of the country including Balochistan and Sindh.

He said another reason for intense cold is that there are no clouds and radiation from the earth goes into space. When there are clouds radiation is blocked and weather remains bit warmer.

The Chief Meteorologist said though presently there is no rain yielding system in the region but high pressure area is followed by a low pressure area which leads to change in wind direction that not only brings moisture but also lead to rise in temperature.

Mercury touched freezing point in Faisalabad and Mianwali while it dipped to -01.1C, Jhelum 01.2C , Murree -02.5 C, Sialkot 00.8C Sahiwal 02.4C, Khanpur 01.6 C.

Severe Cold Wave

Meanwhile, the mercury further dropped as severe cold wave persists in most parts of the country including the quake-hit zone in Azad Kashmir, Northern Areas and northern Balochistan.

Unusual drop in the temperature has affected water and gas supply and local people have started migration to other areas.

Several parts of the country have been hit by severe cold for last few days and lowest temperature –15 degree centigrade has been recorded at Mahtarzai area of northern Balochistan. The cold has completely disrupted water supply to the area and local people have started migration to other areas.

Severe cold and gusty winds have affected routine life in Chaman, Qila Abdullah, Ziarat and Pishin in Balochistan.

The met department has recorded lowest -09 degree centigrade temperature in Quetta. The water pipelines were burst at various places in the provincial capital due to severe cold causing hardships for people.

The cold wave has also added misery to the people staying in tents and shelters in Quake affected areas of Muzaffarabad, Athmuqam, Garhi Dopatta, Chikar and Nausehri.

Gilgit, Hunza and other parts of Northern Areas also facing harsh winter as –08-centigrade temperature was recorded in Gilgit.

Hope for Respite

Met office in Islamabad Saturday said it expected the present cold wave, sweeping accross the country, to subside in the next couple of days when temperatures will come down by two to three degrees.

"The country at present is under the grip of cold winds from the north and we expect them to subside down over the next 48 hours," Zia ur Rehman, forecasting officer at Pakistan Meteorological Department was quoted as saying.

The bone chilling cold, which has dropped the temperatures in some major cities and towns to zero or below, also killed two persons in Lahore on Friday and many more were hospitalized due to cold related illnesses.

In northern areas mercury plunged several degrees below freezing point with Kalam recording minimum of -14 degrees centigrade on Saturday.

Met office recorded minimum temperature of -2 degrees in the federal capital that is lowest since January 2, 1955 when the mercury dropped down to -4 degrees.

The cold wave that started last week has crippled life all across Pakistan resulting in fog in plain areas of Punjab and other parts of the country, creating difficulties for traffic.

According to reports, people in earthquake affected areas, Balochistan and northern areas were facing difficulties due to bitterly cold weather as the poor people there have no or very little means to keep themselves warm.

In Islamabad, frost has become a regular phenomenon, which dissipates at dawn but the chill in the air remains throughout the day which one feels even when out in the sun.

The met office said at present there was no immediate forecast for rain in any part of Pakist