The mercury took a plunge in Islamabad after hit by heavy rain on Tuesday morning as the country braces for a new four-day rain spell coupled with thunders and strong winds, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The Met Office has forecasted that the new spell of heavy rains will impact many cities of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, lower Balochistan, Sindh, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and Islamabad.

A powerful westerly wave has approached Pakistan and will gradually grip most of the country till Wednesday, the Met Office has said, adding during this four-rain spell heavy downpours may trigger landslides in hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Murree and Galiyat.

The Met Department has warned travellers to exercise caution while travelling during the new rain spell.

Several areas of the federal capital received rain bringing to chill to the weather.

KP cities of Peshawar, Mardan, Kurram, Swat, Dir, Malakand, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Balakot, Kohat, Wazirstan, DI Khan and Bannu are likely to receive heavy rains with thunderstorms.

Punjab cities of Lahore, Gujranwala, Kasur, Gujrat, Narowal, Sialkot, Mianwali, Sargodha, Jhang, Khushad, Bahawalnagar, Okara, Sheikhupura, Hafizabad, Murree, Galiyat, Potohar region, Mandi Bahauddin, Faisalabad and Toba Tek Singh will also likely to receive rains coupled with strong winds.

Balochistan cities of Khuzdar, Turbat, Awaran, Makran, Panjgur, Ketch, Gwadar, Pasni, Jiwani, Lasbela, Dalbandin and Kalat are also expected to receive rain at night.

Dry weather is expected to prevail elsewhere in the country.

Temperature of some major cities recorded this morning:  

Islamabad and Lahore 15 degree centigrade, Karachi 19, Peshawar 16, Quetta and Muzaffarabad 11, Gilgit and Murree 6 degree centigrade. 

According to Met Office forecast for Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, cloudy weather with chance of rain-thunderstorm is expected in Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Pulwama, Anantnag, Shopian and Baramulla.

Reporters Rozina Ali and Komat Aslam