Thick blanket of fog affects normal life in Moga, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Faridkot, Bathinda

Kulwinder Sandhu

Tribune News Service

Moga, December 16

A thick blanket of fog affected normal life in Moga, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Faridkot, Bathinda and other districts of the Malwa belt in Punjab on Thursday morning.

According to the details available from the meteorological department, the minimum temperature in the Malwa belt hovered below normal by 1 to 3 degrees Celsius at almost all places.

The maximum temperature recorded at 10 am on Thursday at Moga was 13 degrees Celsius, Ferozepur 12, Fazilka 12, Faridkot 13, Muktsar 12, , Bathinda 13, Mansa 14, Ludhiana 13, Barnala 13 and Sangrur 14 degrees Celsius.       

The Met office has predicted severe cold and dry weather conditions at most places in the Malwa belt with minimum temperatures likely to fall by a few notches.

The relative humidity in the morning at most places in the Malwa belt varied from 69 to 80 per cent.

Agro-scientists said the chilly and foggy weather conditions will prove useful for rabi crops, especially wheat and barley. The farming community is upbeat owing to the beginning of the cold wave in the region.

“It is the most conducive weather for the growth of wheat plants at this stage,” said Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar, a senior agro-scientist of the state agriculture department. He said that further fall in temperature by a few notches would be beneficial to the wheat crop.

Dr Brar said the foggy weather would also help in natural irrigation of wheat and other rabi crops. Though the weather is foggy, it is free from frost; therefore, the farmers should do light irrigation in the wheat fields, he added.

Interestingly, the difference between the maximum and minimum temperature is shortening, which means the region will witness chilly days ahead.