Margalla Hills in Islamabad receive snowfall after 6 years

[Omar1984]

Margalla Hills receive snowfall after 6 years

ISLAMABAD- Snowfall has been recorded after 6 years at Margalla Hills in Islamabad.

The mountains including picnic point Pir Suhawa wore a white snow cover and a cold wave has gripped the twin cities, private news channel reported.

The intermittent rain spell started on Friday morning and brought the mercury down to minus Celsius due to which snowfall started at night and Margalla hills including adjacent areas received 1-inch snowfall.

Meanwhile, rain brought severe wave of cold spell in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, compelling people to buy warm clothes second-hand as well as new ones. Shopkeepers of warm clothes are looking busy in making their business.

The sale of woolen clothes, particularly the second-hand variety, has increased, as people rushed to buy them.

The crowd of people can be seen bargaining with retailers in markets and weekly bazaars where besides woollies heaps of quilts, bedcovers, blankets and rugs are up for sale.

Stall of winter clothes and sales points of shoes can be witnessed at Aabpara Market, Melody Market, Super Market, Jinnah Super Market, Sittara Markez, Peshawar Morr, G-10 Markez, Karachi Company, Faizabad, Commercial Market, Sadiqabad Chowk, Raja Bazaar and at many other big shopping malls and markets of the twin cities. The vendors and dealers are doing brisk business as their clothes are selling like hot cakes. Our business is going very well these days as the demand for winter clothes has risen, he said. Our sales have doubled and we expect that in the days ahead these will go up further, claimed another shopkeeper. Ghulam Hussain, a resident of Islamabad said that the winter rains in twincities always lowers the temperature. Snowfall at Murree hills also affects the weather of the city, he added.

INP adds: Hundreds of citizens of the federal capital thronged to Pir Suhawa picnic point to enjoy the first and long awaited snowfall of the winter season.

According to details, Margalla Hills surrounding the capital city have received light snowfall after six years. The mountains including picnic point Pir Suhawa wore a white layer and a cold wave has gripped the twin cities.

The intermittent rain spell which started on Friday morning brought the mercury down to minus Celsius due to which snowfall started at night and Margalla hills including adjacent areas received 1-inch snowfall attracting the people of the twin cities to enjoy the scenic beauty.

Citizens seem delighted over intermittent rains and snowfall after prolonged drought and despite intense cold weather they enjoyed moving in the snow covered mountains..

Meanwhile, the prevailing chilly weather has increased the demand for snacks, fried food items and dry fruits, adding charm to enjoy the weather traditionally.

A huge rush of buyers was witnessed at various stalls of ‘Samosas’, ‘Pakoras’, ‘Jaleebi’, chicken and vegetable soups, fried fish, peanuts, walnuts,dried apricot and almonds.

“It is real fun in the winter season to enjoy hot pakoras and samosas especially when it is cloudy, we usually plan outdoor activity to enjoy the weather,” a group of students said.

A lot of families also come out of their homes to enjoy hot soups with their children on the day because it was much-awaited rain spell and people were desirous of enjoying the weather.

“We always spend cloudy day in winter at our favourite picnic spot in the city and enjoy fried fish with its aroma filled in the air,” Fatima said excitedly.

The clouds hovering over the twin cities compelling people to wear wollies and enjoy seasonal delights. Young boys and girls keep sharing text messages excitedly as drizzle continue on and off in the city, “I love the this weather and especially in winter when it rained it brought a lot of memories of enjoying weather in the childhood,” Maria a young girl said.

“The scattered showers on Friday bring some relief from dry weather conditions which were prevailing for last two months,” Ahsan Ali, a public servant said.


Margalla Hills receive snowfall after 6 years | The Nation gives news details

 

[Omar1984]

Some more pictures of this rare snowfall in Margalla Hills, Islamabad January 2012.

 

[Omar1984]

After six years, Pir Sohawa gets a blanket of snow

ISLAMABAD:
If you love making snowmen and playing on white carpets of snow overlooking scenic valleys, then you need not go farther than the Margalla Hills this winter. After six years, snow returned to Islamabad as Pir Sohawa, the city’s highest tourist spot, received at least two inches of snow on Friday night.

The meteorological department predicted more snow in Islamabad in the coming days as temperatures are likely to drop further. “We can expect snowfall even in the downtown area because mercury is likely to drop further in the coming days,” an official of the met office told The Express Tribune.

A 45-minute drive from downtown Islamabad, Pir Sohawa, a rapidly developing tourist resort, remained crowded on Saturday as news of the snowfall spread.

Blessing for vendors

The weekend snowfall not only proved to be a treat for tourists, but the low tempereature was also a blessing for vendors selling fast food items, winter delicacies and warm clothing.

Ayaz Khan, a shopkeeper in Aabpara Market who sells woollen caps, gloves and socks, said he had “never received so many customers in a single day”.

Qasim Ejaz, a sales manager at Munchies in Super Market, said in the last two days, coffee and green tea lovers have “flooded” his shop. He said the sales have almost doubled, with a lot of people also demanding fish burgers.

Vendors selling pakoras, samosas and boiled eggs at the start of the loopy trail to Pir Sohava were also thronged by customers.
Abdullah, a who sells boiled eggs, said he earned Rs2,000 in a day, “which I have never done in my entire life”. A more fortunate pakora seller, Rashid Abbasi, claimed to have earned Rs6,000, doubling his usual daily sales.

“So far it has been a really dry winter and I was worried. The expected winter boom has finally arrived,” said Shams Khan, a vendor selling dry fruit.

Chief Meteorologist Arif Mehmood explained that the snowfall was the result of very low temperatures and substantial moisture in the area. He said that Murree received 10 inches of snow while Pir Sohawa received two inches.

A psychiatrist from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Professor Dr Rizwan Taj, termed the snow “a welcome change that would improve people’s moods”. He said the change in weather has broken the dry spell, which is beneficial to allergy patients.

Environmentalist Dr Pervaiz Amir attributed the snowfall due to “extreme changes in the climate patterns”, but termed it a good sign from multiple points of view. He said it has put an end to the long dry spell in the area and will settle down dust particles in the air; it will help overcome diseases caused due to the dryness. Besides, it will also increase water flow in streams and dams, which will help with the water shortage, Amir added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2012


After six years, Pir Sohawa gets a blanket of snow – The Express Tribune



Good news for Islamabad, Pakistan. It didn't even snow once yet this winter season here in New York, USA.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

IM SO JINXEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD.................. Me n 2 of my best buds went there n to murree hoping for snow... nut freakin hell NOOOOOOOOOOO.... N look it snowed after a few days..

 

[Hyde]

Peace is prevailing Pakistan once again

Less bomb blasts, less target killings, less security issues and now areas like Swat, Margalla hills and Azad Kashmir are bringing the tourism back in these areas

 

[Omar1984]

Peace is prevailing Pakistan once again

Less bomb blasts, less target killings, less security issues and now areas like Swat, Margalla hills and Azad Kashmir are bringing the tourism back in these areas

Yes Swat, Azad Kashmir, and the rest of Northern Pakistan will probably get more snow this winter season than Margalla Hills in Islamabad did. It snows every year in Northern Pakistan.

 

[Omar1984]

As rain turns to snow, K-P and FATA turn white

The snowy cityscape of Lower Dir (left), children playing with snowballs in Landi Kotal (right). PHOTOS: INP



PESHAWAR/GILGIT: The first rain this winter brought an end to the persistent dry weather, on Saturday, with an increase in the intensity of cold and unusually heavy snowfall in hilly areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

With the advent of a moist and cold wave, most parts of K-P experienced chilly weather. Rains were particularly welcome because agriculturalists had to contend with water scarcity at the start of the wheat growing season.

Residents of Mohmand Agency, Khyber Agency and Bajaur Agency faced hardships since snowfall led to the closure of roads. It was the heaviest spell of snowfall in a decade. Shortage of edible items in some areas was reported.

Heavy snowfall in Chitral and its surrounding areas has also disrupted routine life and hundreds of passengers are wedged on Chitral-Dir Road on either side of the Lowari Tunnel. Parachinar remained the coldest with minus 12 degree Celsius as the minimum temperature recorded, while it was minus 8 in Skardu and minus 7 degree Celsius in Malam Jabba.

According to the Met Office more rains and snowfall in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and upper parts of K-P expected in the next 24 hours.

Gilgit-Baltistan
Fog descended on mountain peaks as well as upper G-B and triggered a wave of severe cold in the region, forcing people to remain indoors.

There was reports of snowfall in some valleys including Qamari, Minimarg, Gultari, Yasin,Phandar, Imit, Tangir, Darel, Khanbari and dozens of villages in Baltistan. The mercury dropped further as fierce winds blew continuously the whole day. Scheduled flights between Gilgit and Islamabad were suspended due to inclement weather.

Snow attracts tourists to Landi Kotal

Heavy snowfall attracted tourists to Landi Kotal, where peace has been marred by recent blasts and militancy. It snowed the whole night from Friday evening to Saturday morning, blanketing the entire town. Visitors were seen making snowmen and engaging in snowball fights.

Khogakhel, Shaikh Mall Khel and Khyber Zakha Khel were covered with one-foot high snow, attracting tourists from Afghanistan, Peshawar and suburban areas. Bazaars and restaurants were crowded with customers.

A tourist from Peshawar, Asad Qureshi told The Express Tribune that he had come to the border town just to enjoy the snow. He said a little attention by the authorities can turn Landi Kotal into a tourist attraction for domestic and foreign visitors.
with additional reporting from AMIRZADA AFRIDI in Khyber agency

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2012



As rain turns to snow, K-P and FATA turn white – The Express Tribune

 

[Omar1984]

^ FATA and KP can be a tourist hub. Most Pakistanis enjoy snow more than sunny weather.

 

[A1Kaid]

Kashmir areas as usual getting heavy snow fall.

 

[A1Kaid]

Looks like Marghala Hills got about 2 inches isn't much but still a nice treat for the residents.

 

[Omar1984]

Some more pictures of this winter season in Pakistan. (Most are of Northern Pakistan. Northern Pakistan = anywhere North of Islamabad).

 

[Omar1984]

Pictures of snow in Pakistan this winter season (continued)

 

[Omar1984]

Pictures of snow in Pakistan this winter season (continued)

 

[Omar1984]

Pictures of snow in Pakistan this winter season (continued)

Pakistani perspective: Let it snow! – The Express Tribune

 

[American Pakistani]

Nice pictures, Pakistan looking same as US after snow.