Kathmandu, January 7

Kathmandu Valley experienced the coldest day in seven years with temperature plummeting to zero degree Celsius today.

Meteorologist Mean Kumar Aryal at Meteorological Forecasting Division informed that the minimum temperature dipped to zero degree Celsius while the maximum temperature stood at 17.5 degrees Celsius. Prior to this, the Valley had recorded a minimum temperature of zero degree Celsius in 2012. The lowest minimum temperature recorded last year was 0.4 degree Celsius. Extreme minimum temperature so far recorded by the MFD was minus 3.5 degrees Celsius on January 11, 1978. The Valley recorded the lowest temperature after Jumla (minus 8.7 degrees Celsius). Likewise, Dang recorded a minimum temperature of 0.5 degree Celsius, Dipayal 0.6 degree Celsius, Birendranagar 0.9 degree Celsius, Taplejung 1.5 degrees Celsius and Dadeldhura 1.7 degrees Celsius today.

“The temperature fell to zero degree Celsius due to speeding westerly wind blowing from the Mediterranean Sea and passing through the high Himalayas with clear sky,” he said. According to MFD, the temperature is likely to remain stable for the next few days as this year’s winter has reached its climax.

MFD ruled out any external phenomena in Nepal’s weather condition. MFD records show that the average minimum and maximum temperatures for the month of January are 2.4 degrees Celsius and 19.1 degrees Celsius respectively.

Climatic conditions vary in Nepal from one place to another according to geographical features. In the north, summers are cool and winters severe, while in the south, summers are tropical and winters mild. Nepal has five seasons — spring, summer, monsoon, autumn and winter.