According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) prediction a usual increase in cold intensity in the last 15 days of January across the country is expected.
According to the NDMA, snowfall is expected only in mountainous areas during this period.
According to the authorities, Western weather systems are expected to enter the country from January 18, bringing snowfall to upper areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The authority said that these western winds may also cause rain in several parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, western Balochistan, and the Potohar region.
In the next three to four days the most parts of the country are expected to experience cold and dry weather with a steady surge in cold intensity.
The NDMA further cautioned of a severe cold wave and dense fog in the plains of Punjab and Sindh.
A drop in temperatures is also expected due to Siberian winds moving southward, which may cause intense cold conditions in the northern parts of Pakistan.
It is reported that Motorway authorities have closed the major motorways in the plain areas of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at night between Monday and Tuesday due to dense fog, a private media channel reported.
Motorway M1 from Peshawar to Burhan, Motorway M2 from Lahore to Islamabad, Motorway M3 from Faizpur to Jaranwala, Motorway M4 from Pindi Bhattian to Abdul Hakin, Motorway M5 from Multan to Rohri and Motorway M11 from Lahore to Sambrial have been closed for all kind of traffic, the motorway police spokesperson confirmed.
A motorway spokesperson said that authorities closed the motorways to protect citizens’ lives and property.
However, the authorities also urged drivers to stay in their lanes during fog as lane violations can lead to serious accidents.
Citizens planning to travel have been instructed to prefer daytime journeys. The Motorway Police has defined safe travel timings between 10:00am and 6:00pm, when visibility is relatively better.
