• Weather systems are likely to cause rain on May 14, the day of first phase of civic polls

Kathmandu, May 9 It has been raining almost every day in Kathmandu Valley lately, bringing down the temperature and forcing Valley denizens to travel through waterlogged streets carrying an umbrella. People in the Valley are all surprised at the incessant rain during spring time. “It feels like mid-August with the rain and muddy roads. I have never experienced such rainfall in May before,” said Manish Maharjan, a vendor at Ghattekulo. The Meteorological Forecast Division informed that the effects of three different weather systems have been causing daily rainfall in Kathmandu and most hilly regions of the country. “Since winter ended, various weather systems have become active in the region, causing sporadic rainfall,” meteorologist at MFD Barun Paudel told The Himalayan Times, adding, “On Monday night, the westerly wind system entered the Valley. Central Uttar Pradesh’s low pressure area, the Bay of Bengal’s weather system, and the local system will cause rainfall for the next three days.” Paudel said the different weather systems are likely to cause rainfall on Election Day, which is on May 14 next week. “We cannot predict exactly when it will rain on May 14 or how much precipitation will occur, but it is certain that the weather will not clear up by May 14 or later,” he said. The MFD has also predicted that this year’s monsoon precipitation will be below average in the far-western and western region, and normal in the central and eastern region. South Asian Climate Outlook Forum’s 10th meeting that was held in Thimphu, Bhutan from April 24 to 26  this year had forecasted normal rainfall during the monsoon season in 2017 over much of South Asia. The meeting forecasted below-normal rainfall over broad areas of north-western, central, and south-eastern parts of South Asia, and above-normal rainfall over broad areas of eastern and south-western parts of the region.