Kathmandu, June 8

If the weather forecast by the Meteorological Forecasting Division comes true, monsoon will take a few more days to arrive in Nepal and miss its normal onset date of June 10 this year.

Last year too, monsoon was delayed by three days. “Generally, a surge of monsoon enters the eastern parts of the country on June 10 and then slowly spreads across the country and remains effective till September 23.

+But this year, it is forecast that monsoon will arrive in Nepal nearly a week later than the normal date,” said the MFD.

“In South Asia, the monsoon originates over the Bay of Bengal and advances to the northwest. Information received so far from the weather maps and satellite images show that the onset of monsoon is likely to be delayed by around a week, as the crucial weather system has not yet properly developed in the Bay of Bengal,” the MFD said.

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.

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

“If it is to analyse on a region-wise basis, some Tarai areas 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.