LAHORE - Fog revisited plains, including Lahore, on Monday, affecting routine life by hampering vehicular movement on inter and intra-city routes as well as rail and air traffic.
Experts have forecast the prevailing harsh weather conditions to persist over the next couple of days.
Fog started falling in the evening and became so dense at midnight that visibility reduced to zero in open areas. Moderate to dense fog caused closure of portions of Motorway besides hampering vehicular movement on National Highway from Gujranwala to Sukkur. Dense fog affected flight operation besides disturbing schedule of trains. Low visibility led to cancellation of one flight besides delaying arrival/departure of 25 planes. Almost all trains reached their destinations hours behind the schedule.
Hunza remained the coldest place in the country where mercury dropped 06 degree Celsius below the freezing point. Minimum temperature in Gupis, Astore and Kalat was -05°C, Kalam and Malamjabba -04°C, Skardu, Dir and Bagrote -03°C, Quetta and Parachinar -02°C and Rawalakot -01°C.
Maximum and minimum temperature in Lahore was recorded 22C and 05C, respectively. Relative humidity in the evening was recorded 48 per cent.
Excessive use of gas heaters at offices and homes led to low gas pressure in urban areas, including Lahore. In certain areas women faced huge difficulties in cooking meals for families.
According to experts, continental air is likely to prevail over most of the country. A westerly wave is present along the western parts of the country.
Local meteorological department has forecast partly cloudy/dry weather for most parts of the country including Lahore during the next couple of days.
Light rain (with light snowfall over the hills) may occur at a few places in Malakand, Kalat and Quetta divisions, upper FATA and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Foggy conditions are likely over plain areas of Punjab and upper Sindh during night and morning hours.