A severe cold wave, accompanied by a thick blanket of fog, continues to paralyze daily life across Peshawar and most districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The persistent adverse weather has significantly reduced visibility, leading to major disruptions in air travel, with several international flights being diverted from the provincial capital.
Met Office Forecast and Recorded Temperatures
According to the latest report from the Meteorological Department, dry and cold conditions are expected to prevail across most of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the upper regions bracing for extremely cold weather. Dense fog is likely to persist in the plains, severely affecting Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Karak, and Bannu. Residents in Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, and along the GT Road have been advised to expect fog during the early morning and night hours.
The department recorded light rainfall in parts of Dir and Bajaur a day earlier. In terms of mercury levels, Kalam was the coldest recorded place, with temperatures plunging to a freezing minus 6 degrees Celsius. Parachinar and Malam Jabba shivered at minus 3 degrees, while Dir Upper saw minus 2 degrees. Drosh and Chitral recorded temperatures of minus 1 degree Celsius. Comparatively, Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan were milder but still cold at 6 degrees Celsius.
Major Disruptions to Air Travel
The dense fog has had a crippling effect on aviation. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) confirmed that flight operations at Bacha Khan International Airport were severely affected due to critically low visibility. The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) reported that visibility dropped to a mere 300 to 360 metres, with poor conditions expected to last until approximately 8:45 am.
This led to a cascade of flight diversions. A Qatar Airways flight was forced to land in Islamabad instead of Peshawar. Similarly, flights originating from Muscat and Riyadh were diverted to Sialkot and Karachi, respectively. Travelers also faced delays on Salam Air and Air Arabia flights, causing widespread inconvenience.
Regional Impact and Precautions
The widespread weather phenomenon underscores the harsh winter conditions faced by the province. The combination of extreme cold and persistent fog poses significant challenges for road and air transport, early morning commuters, and the general public. Authorities are urging citizens to exercise extreme caution while traveling, use fog lights on vehicles, and stay updated with the latest weather advisories from the Met Office. The situation highlights the need for robust contingency plans to handle such annual weather disruptions in the region.
