Kathmandu, June 11

The Meteorological Forecasting Division said today Nepal would have to wait for a few more days to welcome this year’s monsoon. Releasing a monsoon watch report today, it said onset of monsoon was delayed in the country due to low pressure area that had developed in the Bay of Bengal since the last few days.

“Though the MFD had forecast early onset of monsoon, it is likely take a few more days to hit the country,” the report reads.

Earlier on June 3, MFD had said monsoon would arrive in Nepal before the normal onset date of June 10.  “In South Asia, southwest monsoon picks up more moisture from the Bay of Bengal and heads towards north-east India. As information received so far from the weather maps and satellite images show that monsoon has already developed over the east and central Bay of Bengal and central Bangladesh, Nepal is likely to experience monsoon a few days prior to the normal onset date,” the MFD had said.

Monsoon normally arrives in Nepal on June 10 and withdraws on September 23. Like last year, monsoon missed the normal onset date this year as well.

Last year, monsoon arrived in Nepal on June 15. Once monsoon enters from the eastern region, it makes progressive westward advancement to the remaining parts over the next few days through the central region. Monsoon lasts for an average of 105 days.

Nepal receives an average of 80 per cent of annual rainfall during the monsoon, which originates in the Bay of Bengal and moves along the southern flanks of the Himalayas, bringing rains to Nepal. The average annual rainfall in Nepal is 1,600 mm, but it varies from place to place depending on climatic conditions.

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