RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: A below normal rainfall is expected in the most parts of the country during November, mainly one to two spells of a moderate scale, the Met Office has said.

The rainfall is likely to occur over the northern half of the country during the month but fog and smog with a variable intensity may grip the plain areas of Punjab, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and Upper Sindh.

The Met warned that the below normal rainfall is feared to deplete surface and groundwater resources further. Also, the gradual drop in temperature will slow down the snow and glacier melt contribution to River Indus to a minimal level during the month.

Management authorities and users should take a judicious use of water stocks to meet requirements of the Rabi sowing. “Mean daily temperatures are likely to remain normal during the month. However, under foggy condition, day temperatures will be below average and nights are expected slightly warmer,” it said that the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) are in a neutral phase.

In the next 24 hours: Mainly dry weather is expected in the most parts of the country. Dense foggy/smoggy conditions are expected in plain areas of the Punjab and foggy over D I Khan, Peshawar and Sukkur Divisions during night and morning hours. Temperature dropped to minus three degrees Celsius in Skardu and zero in Kalam and Gilgit, each.