The federal capital and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) were pummelled by a heavy hailstorm on Wednesday afternoon, leaving a trail of destruction that included smashed car windscreens, damaged solar panels, and broken tree branches.
In Islamabad, the storm hit suddenly and lasted around 35 minutes, with strong winds and large hailstones battering everything in their path. Tarnol was among the worst-affected areas, where several trees were uprooted, causing traffic disruptions.
The downpour also triggered flash flooding in some low-lying parts of the capital, straining the already overwhelmed drainage systems and catching commuters off guard.
Several politicians took to X to share their stormy experiences, describing the wild weather as both intense and oddly refreshing – a dramatic spell that brought a welcome break from the heat.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has forecast extreme summer conditions, warning of intensifying heatwaves that could heighten the risk of wildfires in mountainous regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, the Potohar region, Murree, and nearby areas.
The three-month forecast (April-June), presented to media representatives at the NEOC, indicates that cyclones are expected to form in the Arabian Sea during May and June, with potential impacts on nearby coastal areas.
The report indicates that the summer season will bring higher-than-normal temperatures nationwide, coupled with below-average rainfall. This extreme heat is anticipated to cause heat waves, especially in southern Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan.
Temperatures in southern Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan could climb as high as 45 degrees Celsius, particularly impacting cities such as Karachi, Badin, Larkana, Umerkot, Tharparkar, and Matiari.
Searing temperatures are expected to scorch Sukkur, Shikarpur, Dadu, Sanghar, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, and Lahore, whereas Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral face a dual challenge-extreme heat coupled with the looming threat of GLOFs triggered by rapid glacial melting.
