Kathmandu, January 22

The Meteorological Forecasting Division has predicted overcast skies with light to moderate rain and thunderstorm throughout the country, tonight and tomorrow.

Meteorologist Manju Basi told THT that the western disturbance was likely to usher in a spell of rain across the country.

“The westerly winds that entered the country via the far-western region from India have prevailed over many parts, mainly the western, central and eastern regions. Therefore, the rain triggered by the western disturbance will lead to light to moderate snowfall in many parts of the central and western mountainous regions,” she told THT.

Western disturbance, a system of low pressure, is associated with the cloudy sky and unusual rain in the winter season.

Dadheldhura, Dipayal and Dhangadi meteorological stations recorded 52.3 mm, 40.8 mm and 11.1 mm rainfall respectively, while Jumla received 19.8 mm and Dang 1.6 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours by 5:45 pm today.

The average annual rainfall in Nepal is 1,600 mm, but it varies from place to place depending on climatic conditions.

Basi said western disturbance would continue to keep the weather in most parts of the country cloudy and rainy even tomorrow. The weather system is likely to trigger freezing cold across the country and normalcy will return from Thursday onwards, she said.

Though the normal rainfall for January is 14.4 mm, just 1.2 mm rainfall has been recorded in Kathmandu since January 1.