Kathmandu, June 13

After a delay of two days, monsoon finally entered Nepal through the eastern part of the country late last night.

Although the Meteorological Forecasting Division had released its weather bulletin on June 11 saying Nepal would have to wait for a few more days to welcome monsoon, it announced its arrival today.

Meteorologist at MFD Barun Paudel said monsoon hit Nepal on Monday night after the cyclone developing in the Bay of Bengal since the last few days deactivated at once. He said it might take about a week for monsoon to be active throughout the country.

“Monsoon has entered Nepal after a delay of two days, but it may take two days to active in the eastern region, four days to active in the central region and about a week to active throughout the country,” Paudel told The Himalayan Times.

Monsoon usually enters Nepal on June 10 and withdraws on September 23 every year. Last year, monsoon entered Nepal on June 15 after a delay of five days.

Earlier last week, Department of Hydrology and Meteorology had predicted possibility of early monsoon onset. Later it admitted that the earlier prediction had failed due to the effects of westerly wind.

On June 11, MFD predicted delay in arrival of monsoon, citing low pressure area developed in Bay of Bengal. However, it announced the onset of monsoon at once today. With the delay in arrival of monsoon this year, the country has witnessed 34 delayed monsoons in the last 49 years.

A seasonal outlook recently issued by South Asian Climate Outlook Forum had predicted above normal rainfall over large tracts of South Asia during this year’s summer monsoon. Citing the SASCOF report, the MFD said Nepal was most likely to receive normal rainfall during monsoon this year.

“Some areas of the Tarai in the central and far-western regions will receive above-normal rainfall while hilly areas are likely to experience below-normal rainfall. Normal rainfall is most likely over the remaining parts of the country,” it said.

Once monsoon enters from the eastern region, it makes progressive westward advancement to the remaining parts of the country 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.