First winter rains welcomed in central Punjab

The advent of first winter rain in the central Punjab is much welcomed by agricultural and weather experts, which in their estimates could help in curtailing cost of tube-wells, used for irrigation purposes, to the tune of Rs 5-7 billion and subsiding ongoing foggy conditions in the plain of Punjab.
Agri Forum Pakistan Chairman Muhammad Ibrahim Mughal told Business Recorder here on Friday the farmers should take maximum advantage of winter rains by applying urea fertiliser and spraying herbicides in their farms. This will yield good results, he added. According to him, though rains started late this year, but the current spell would help wheat, gram, sunflower, fodder, fruit and vegetable crops.
The current rain could save Rs 5 to Rs 7 billion, which farmers had to spend on tube well irrigation. If farmers adopted requisite measure, they could get better crop and fodder for their livestock. The climate experts told Business Recorder that this year, winter rains are late by at least four weeks in central Punjab; in routine the country records winter rain in the beginning of December. They said this is due to global phenomenon of climate change, which is felt in this region.
According to Pakistan Meteorological Department Lahore's spokesperson, the winter rain in central Punjab was late by four weeks. He observed that a weak weather system was prevailing in the region for the past few months, which delayed the winter rain in the region. He observed that the current spell of rain would help in subduing foggy conditions in the plain of Punjab, which has created traffic mess in different parts of highways and motorway.
"The current spell of rain will last for two to three days, as Thursday's westerly wave still persists over upper parts of the country. However, a second spell of winter rain will commence in mid January," he added. As per the met office, mainly dry and cold weather is expected over most parts of the country. However, thunderstorm/rain with snowfall over hills is likely to occur at scattered places of Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Sargodha, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore divisions, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, many parts of the country received rain, including Dir 35 mm, Lower Dir 28 mm, Saidu Sharif and Kotli 22 mm (each), Peshawar city 19 mm, Peshawar Cantt. 17 mm, Risalpur 13 mm, Joharabad 11 mm, Malamjabba 10 mm, Kalam 8 mm, Cherat 7 mm, Kohat and Mirkhani 6 mm (each), Rawalakot, Muzaffarabad, Mianwali Parachinar 5 mm (each), Lahore (airport) and Drosh 4 mm (each), Murree and Balakot 3 mm, Islamabad (airport), Lahore city, Islamabad (zero point), Chakwal and Bunji 2 mm (each), Hunza, Gilgit, Jhelum, M. B. Din, Sialkot Cantt, Faisalabad and Sargodha trace (each).