A new westerly wind system is set to enter the country from today (Wednesday) and will likely lead to rains in the upper and central parts of the country. The effects of the wave are expected to last until the end of the month.

According to the Pakistan Meterological Department, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Waziristan, Kohat, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Bajaur, Malakand, Mohmand, Karak, Khyber, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan and Kurram in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will receive rain with occasional gaps from March 27 to 31.

In Punjab, Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Kasur, Okara, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Khushab, Sargodha and Mianwali will also receive rain from Wednesday.

The rain will spread to Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Bhakkar, Layyah, Multan, Pakpattan, Sahiwal, Kot Addu, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan, Sadiqabad, Khanpur, Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar on Thursday.

Both KP and Punjab can also receive intense rain and hailstorms from March 29 onwards.

Zhob, Sherani, Barkhan, Musakhel, Kohlu, Sibbi, Jhal Magsi, Loralai, Ziarat, Quetta, Chaman, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Kalat and Khuzdar in Balochistan are also predicted to receive rains from Wednesday. However, the showers will end comparatively earlier in the province on March 29.

In Sindh, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Larkana and Dadu are expected to get rain on March 28 and 29 March, while southern parts of the province will receive dust storms but no rain.

The Met Office added that the rains could trigger landslides in Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.

Standing crops and ‘loose structures’ like electricity poles and solar panels can also sustain damage due to the rains and storms.