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Weathermen predict early monsoon
KATHMANDU, MAY 20 -
The country is likely to experience the much-awaited monsoon rains earlier than the normal date this year with the formation of thunderstorms and clouds in most parts of the country, said weather forecasters.
Mani Ratna Shakya, chief of Meteorological Forecasting Division (MFD), said on Thursday that thunderstorms are observed more frequently this year even before June 10, the date when monsoon generally begins in the country.
Last year’s worst monsoon followed by one of the driest winters saw yields of summer crops such rice, maize and edible oils plummet by 30 to 35 percent, triggering food scarcity in several districts of the country’s Midwest.
“The pre-monsoon thundershowers are active even in the month of May that was very weak last year. The conditions are favourable for advancement of monsoon rains that enter the country from the eastern region normally on June 10,” he said. “The monsoon is likely to enter the country in the first week of June this year.”
Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon has already entered India on May 17, three days ahead of the normal date.
The rains lashed the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal, marking the first landfall of the southwest monsoon that sweeps across India and reaches Nepal. The monsoon rain is first recorded in the eastern part before sweeping across the country within a week.
About a month ago, the regional meeting of the meteorologists representing World Meteorological Organisation and member countries of South Asia held in India had forecasted normal rainfall in the region this monsoon, while more than normal for Nepal.
According to the forecasts, the weather across the country will be partly cloudy with chances of thundershowers in some parts for the next couple of days. On Wednesday, Kathmandu received 1.6 millimetres rainfall, while Pokhara saw the highest rainfall measuring 27.5 millimetres among all 15 meteorological stations of the country.
Posted on: 2010-05-21 08:48
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