Overview
- Pakistan’s meteorological agency reports an intense winter front delivering widespread snow, rain and a sharp drop in temperatures across multiple regions.
- Heavy snowfall in Swat Valley, including Malam Jabba, is drawing large crowds, and a five-day Snow Festival in Kalam and Mataltan is underway with winter sports and cultural events.
- Balochistan’s mountains received thick snow while Quetta and nearby districts saw steady rain, triggering flash floods near Toba Achakzai and Chaman and causing power outages in parts of Quetta.
- The National Highway Authority has deployed heavy machinery, rescue teams and salt containers on key routes, as Murree activates salt camps and 13 facilitation centers and authorities urge only essential travel.
- PMD guidance indicates the current spell is expected to continue through the night of December 31, with local forecasts pointing to intermittent snowfall in upper Swat into early January.