LAHORE: Above-normal rains, snowfall, and temperatures would be salient features of the winter season, according to sources from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

The sources said there would be no long fog spells in plain areas. Instead, there would be periodic fog patches due to consistent rains, likely to start from the last week of December throughout January and February.

“There would be more rain in January and February,” they added.

The PMD sources further apprehended slightly above normal temperatures during the upcoming winter, remaining one to two percent higher than the normal range. Generally, January witnessed a temperature drop to zero or a maximum of one percent.

Still, consistent rains during this winter would keep the temperature within five to six degrees. They said frost occurs with a drop of mercury below four percent, which would be rare during this season.

Meanwhile, the PMD has advised the Pakistan Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to stay alert due to above-normal snowfall in the hilly areas and land sliding. The PMDA has also planned to devise a strategy to avoid incidents like 2022 when passengers got stuck in cars due to heavy snowfall, and a few deaths were reported as well.

Also, the PDMA has ensured heavy machinery in areas where traffic got choked due to many vehicles. Chemicals and salt have also been supplied to the field teams for snow melting during the winter season.

Similarly, the irrigation department plans to defer canal desilting and keep supplying water to the agriculture fields until the end of January. This change in water supply is being adopted while keeping in mind the above-normal rains during the first two months of new year.

Traditionally, the irrigation department closes canals for irrigation purposes from the end of December until the end of January for desilting. But the latest forecast has led to a change of mind, especially after advice from the PMD, which is of the view that there is no imminent water scarcity for agriculture crops ahead due to above-normal rains.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023