The Met Office has asked the farmers to sow winter vegetables on time for a better output. It also urged the farmers of irrigated areas to irrigate their crop as per requirement keeping in view the continuing dry weather in most of the agricultural plains of the country. "Normally first irrigation is given 20-25 days after sowing", it said.

It said that wheat cultivation was under way in the most of irrigated areas of the country, "farmers may sow recommended varieties and seed should be specially treated before sowing in consultation with agricultural offices".

In areas like Potohar Region and adjoining areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where rain water storages are available, farmers should irrigate crops by using irrigation methods already in place like sprinkler irrigation, it said. "During the last 2 months, dry weather has been reported from most of the agricultural plains of the country and is likely to prevail by the end of second decade. Keeping in view the present and expected dry atmospheric/soil conditions, following advices are proposed farming community especially for rain-fed areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab", the Met added.

Farmers obtaining crop water through tube wells are advised to schedule the irrigation as per crop requirement. "Farmers of irrigated plains of Punjab, Sindh and KP are advised to complete sowing of wheat crop by mid of December to get maximum yield. In case of late sowing, the recommended varieties should be cultivated to minimize the loss in yield", it said.

Cold and dry weather is expected in the most parts of Punjab, it forecast that the dense fog may prevail in Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Sargodha Divisions till December 20. Dry weather in Sindh is expected. Mainly cold and dry weather is expected with a light to moderate rainfall at scattered places of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Malakand, Mardan and Hazara Divisions on December 19 and 20.

Weather in Balochistan is also expected to be mainly cold and dry with a light rain in north-western parts on December 19 and 20. Mainly cold and dry but cloudy weather is expected in the most parts of Gilgit-Baltistan with light to moderate rain and snowfall at scattered places on December 19 and 20. In Kashmir, widely cold and dry weather is expected with a cloudy horizon in the most parts of Kashmir. Light to moderate rain and snowfall is expected in Muzzaffarabad and Rawalakot regions on December 19 and December 20.