Growers advised

The Met Office has alerted the farmers of upcountry about dropping temperature with rains and snowfall, saying that the growers should step up protecting their livestock and crops from frost. Alert stated that the cold and cloudy weather is expected in the most parts of Punjab with light to a moderate rainfall from February 4 to February 6. In Sindh, light to a moderate rainfall is expected in its most parts on February 4.
Largely cold and cloudy weather is expected in the most parts of Khyber Pakhtunkwa till February 10. Weather in Balochistan is likely to prevail as mainly cold and cloudy with a moderate rainfall at scattered places till February 6.
Mainly cold and cloudy weather is expected in the most parts of Gilgit-Baltistan with light to a moderate rain with snowfall at scattered places till February 10. In Kashmir, widely cold and cloudy weather is expected to prevail in its most parts with light to a moderate rain with snowfall at Muzzaffarabad and Rawalakot regions till February 10. The Met warned the farmers of yield loss from weeds growth in the standing crops, asking them to start removing the unwanted plants to ensure a health production.
"Removing weeds from the standing crops is very important as weeds utilise moisture and food which are to be utilised by the crop. As a result considerable loss in yield occurs every year," it said.
It said that farmers obtaining water by tube wells should schedule the crops irrigation according to the expected rainy weather. In the next 24 hours: The Met forecast rain-thunderstorm with snowfall over the hills at a number of places in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA, Upper Punjab, Islamabad, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. At scattered places in Balochistan and isolated places in Southern Punjab and Sindh. Fog is likely in a few plain areas of Punjab and Upper Sindh during the night and morning hours.
"A western wave is affecting Pakistan and is likely to persist till Sunday," it said, adding that the rainy weather is expected to continue in the next 48 hours. Temperature in Parachinar reached minus 6 degrees Celsius, Astore minus 5, Gupis minus 3, Bagrote and Malamjabba minus 2 each and Kalam minus 1, in the last 24 hours.