LAHORE, Feb 3: The strong westerly system’s opening spell of rain and snowfall covered most of the cities in the country on Sunday.

It is expected to last for another two days, covering the hills with a thick layer of snow and plains with the much-needed rainwater.

Temperatures began to drop because of the westerly system on Sunday and are expected to further fall during and immediately after the spell of rain and snow is over.

The opening spell generated light to moderate rain almost all over the country.

Khuzdar received 27mm of rain, Lower Dir 23mm, Malam Jabba 21mm, Parachinar and Islamabad airport 20mm (each), Saidu Sharif 19mm, Peshawar airport 18mm, Garhi Dupatta, Kohat and Dir 15mm (each), Kalat 14mm, Cherat, Mianwali and Jiwani 13mm (each), Bannu 12mm, Turbat 10mm, Islamabad Zero Point and Gwadar 8mm (each), Drosh, Chakwal, Sukkar and Larkana 6mm (each), Pattan, Chakwal, Samungli and Muzaffarabad 5mm (each), Dera Ismail Khan, Moenjodero, Jacobabad, Rawlakot, and Joharabad 4mm (each), Noorpur Thal, Sargodha, Dalbandin, Sibi, Balakot, Quetta and Chitral 3mm (each), Kalam, Kakul, Murree, Mangla, Jhelum, Bhakkar and Punjgur 2mm (each), Khanpur, Barkhan, Mirkhani, Lahore and Jhang 1mm (each).

The lowest minimum temperature was recorded in Parachinar which was -10 degrees Celsius. It was followed by -7 degrees C in Astore, -3 in Skardu and -2 in Hunza.

It remained heavily overcast in Lahore which continued to receive intermittent drizzle throughout the day. The maximum temperature was 17.2 degrees C and the minimum 8.5 degrees C.

The Met office forecast widespread thunderstorm/rain with scattered heavy falls and heavy snowfall over the hills over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the next 24 hours.

Widespread thunderstorm/rain with isolated heavy falls and snowfall over the hills is expected over Northern Punjab, Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir. Fairly widespread thunderstorm/rain with isolated heavy falls and snowfall over the hills may occur over Balochistan.

Scattered thunderstorm/rain with snowfall over the hills may occur over Southern Punjab. Isolated thunderstorm/rain is also expected over Sindh.