Met office asks farmers to make plans for crops, nurseries protection from cold weather

The Met Office has asked the farmers to make plans to protect standing crops and nurseries from cold weather impacts, saying the irrigation plans should be in place as dry weather is expected in the next 10 days.

It said that the growers should schedule their irrigation plans for the Rabi crop during the next 10 days keeping in view the dry weather spell. It also asked them to remove weeds from their standing crops to help attain a maximum yield.

It warned that weeds cost a considerable yield loss to the farmers annually, saying that measures should be taken to preserve crops and nurseries from damaging impacts of the extreme cold weather.

In the next 10 days: Mainly a cold and dry weather is expected in Punjab Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir with an isolated rain-thunderstorm in Kohat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan Division, besides parts of Kashmir on March 23. The isolated falls may also hit Quetta, Zhob, Kalat and Makran Divisions.

In the next 24 hours: Widely a dry weather is expected in the most parts of the country with an isolated light rain-thunderstorm and gusty winds in Quetta, Zhob, Kalat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha and Dera Ghazi Khan Divisions and Kashmir.

“Continental air is prevailing over most parts of the country. However, a shallow westerly wave is affecting north-eastern parts of Balochistan and its adjoining areas and may persist during next 24 to 48 hours,” the Met said.

In the past 24 hours: A dry weather prevailed over the most parts of the country with an isolated rainfall in Quetta and Hazara Divisions, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. Garhidupatta and Barkhan received a maximum rainfall of 3 mm, each, and Rawalakot, Kakul and Bagrote 1 mm, each.  The minimum temperature was recorded in Kalam as minus 6 degrees Celsius, Malamjabba minus 2, and Astore minus 1 over the past.