ISLAMABAD: Different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Potohar region and other parts of upper Punjab received first rainfall of this winter season last night (Wednesday) that considerably brought down the temperatures in these areas on Thursday.

Some of these areas also received hails.

The weather grew cold following heavy rain, accompanied by strong winds in Islamabad and its outskirts while the weather department predicted more rain, with hail at places, for the federal capital during the next 24 hours, especially in the morning.

The Met Office said that more rains and hailstorms were expected in different parts of KP, GB, Kashmir and upper Punjab during the next 24 hours.

It predicted rain, strong winds, hailstorms and snow at higher elevations in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Abbottabad, Balakot, Mansehra, Kohistan, Malakand, Buner, Darosh, Mirkhani, Mardan, Haripur, Bajaur, Mohmand, Kurram, Kohat,

Peshawar, Charsadda and Nowshera in upper and central KP, and dry weather for Bannu, Dera Ismael Khan, North and South Waziristan, which are located in the south of the province.

The weather department forecasts thundershowers and gusty winds for Rawalpindi, Murree, Galyat, Jhelum, Attock, Chakwal, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Faisalabad, Khushab, Sargodha and Mianwali in upper and central Punjab in the morning.

The department said parts of these areas also expected to receive hails. However, it predicted dry weather for southern parts of the province during the next 24 hours.

Similarly, the weather will remain dry in most parts of Sindh and Balochistan, the Met Office forecast.

However, it said, gales were likely in Dalbandin, Nokandi in Balochistan.