Cotton growers should prepare fields for the next Rabi crops and ensure timely completion of sowing, according to the Met Office.

Farmers, it said, should also schedule irrigation plans in line with the expected cloudy and rainy weather. "Removing weeds from the standing crops is very important as weeds utilize moisture and food which are to be utilized by the crop. As a result considerable loss in yield occurs every year," it said.

Day time temperature is likely to remain below normal whereas night-time may be slightly above normal in the most of the agricultural plains of the country, where normal wind pattern is expected to prevail until Nov 20.

Sindh: Cloudy weather is expected. However, scattered rain/wind-thunderstorm is expected in northeast Balochistan (Quetta, Zhob, Kalat, Sibbi, Khuzdar, Ziarat districts) during the current decade.

Punjab: Cloudy weather is expected. However, scattered rain/wind-thunderstorm (with light snowfall over hills) is expected in most districts of southern Punjab during the 2nd half of the current decade. Dust storm/hailstorm is also expected in few plain areas.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Cloudy weather is expected. However, isolated rain/wind-thunderstorm (with light snowfall over hills) is expected in most districts of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the current decade. Balochistan: Cloudy weather is expected. However, scattered rain/wind-thunderstorm is expected in upper Sindh (Sukkur, Larakana, Jacobabad and Ghotki districts) during the 1st half of the current decade.

Gilgit-Baltistan: Cloudy weather is expected. However, isolated rain/wind-thunderstorm is expected during the 2nd half of the current decade. Kashmir: Cloudy weather is expected. However, isolated rain/wind-thunderstorm is expected during the 2nd half of the current decade. In the next 24 hours: Mainly dry weather is expected in the most parts of the country, while cold in northern parts.

"A westerly wave is still affecting upper parts of the country and will move in north easterly direction during next 12 hours," the Met said. Over the past 24 hours: Widespread rain-thunderstorm occurred in districts of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir while scattered fall in districts of Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur Bahawalnagar, R. Y. Khan, Khanpur, Layyah, Kasur, Khanewal, Lahore, Okara , Sahiwal, Narowal, Attock, Sukkur, Larkana, Hyderabad, Zhob, Khuzdar, Quetta, Lasballa and Islamabad.

Maximum rainfall was recorded in Malamjabba 45 mm, Muzaffarabad (Airport 36 mm, City 15 mm), Kalam 32 mm, Dir (Upper 25 mm, Lower 18 mm), Balakot 25 mm, Mirkhani 21 mm, Pattan, Mohenjo-Daro and Bahawalpur Airport 20 mm, each, Garidupatta 19 mm, Tahktbai 18 mm, Bahawalpur City 17 mm, Peshawar City and Jaccobabad 16 mm, each, Saidu Sharif 14 mm, Bahawalnagar 13 mm, Cherat and Kakul and Astore 12 mm, each, Khanpur and Sukkur 11 mm, each, Drosh, Chitral and Parachinar 10, each, minimum temperature was recorded in Bagrot minus 2, Kalam minus 1 and Kalat zero degree Celsius.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019