ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ongoing cold wave is expected to persist across much of the country until the end of the month, with freezing conditions likely to continue into mid-February in mountainous northern regions as more rain and snowfall are forecast, a senior meteorological official said on Tuesday.

The warning comes as a fresh western weather system is set to bring intermittent rain and light-to-moderate snowfall to parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir and northern Punjab, raising concerns over travel disruptions and road safety in mountainous areas.

“The cold wave in the country will continue until February 1, but in Murree, the Galyat region, and other hilly areas, this wave will persist until February 15,” Anjum Nazir Zaigham, Deputy Director at the Met Department, told Arab News.

The Galyat region refers to a cluster of hill resorts and mountain towns in northern Pakistan, straddling parts of Murree and Abbottabad districts in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“This season, 102 inches of snow were recorded in Malam Jabba, 67 inches in Kalam, 37 inches in Babusar, and 30 inches in Murree,” he added.

Pakistan has experienced one of its harsher winter spells this season, with heavy snowfall recorded at several popular hill stations, prompting authorities to restrict vehicle movement in vulnerable areas and deploy additional personnel to manage traffic and emergency response, particularly in tourist destinations such as Murree.

In an advisory issued Tuesday afternoon, the Met Office said westerly winds were likely to bring further intermittent rain and snowfall over areas including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Shangla, Kohistan, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Buner, Murree, the Galyat region, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan over the next few hours.

Authorities have also urged tourists to avoid unnecessary travel during snowfall, while local administrations have been coordinating snow clearance, traffic diversions and emergency services.

Tens of thousands of tourists flock to Pakistan’s scenic north every winter to witness snowfall, often neglecting warnings from disaster management authorities.

In January 2022, at least 21 people, including children, died after they were stuck in freezing temperatures during a snowstorm in the Pakistani hill station of Murree.