In the Kathmandu Valley, the Meteorological Forecasting Division (MFD) recorded 0.2 mm rainfall - the first in this year´s winter - on Friday. The MFD has predicted more rains in the valley by Friday night or Saturday morning. However, weather will be pretty clear in the valley by Saturday evening, said the MFD.[break]
Maximum temperature in the valley, which had started rising after a sharp fall over the last week, also plunged to as low as 18.7 degree Celsius due to cloud and rain. After a brief spell of rain, the valley´s temperature is expected to rise again. "When rains stop, days will start getting warmer," said meteorologist Rajendra Shrestha.
Western disturbance is a term used by weather experts of the Indian subcontinent to refer to a powerful storm originating in the Mediterranean. It leads to sharp winds, non-monsoon rains and snowfalls in Nepal during winter. As Nepal did not observe western disturbance on time this year, most parts of the country had to suffer from one of the driest winters in recent years, forcing the valley dwellers into dealing with dusty and polluted air in daytime and foggy weather in morning.
(Photo: Dipesh Shrestha)
"Friday´s rains were the first of this year in most parts of the country," said Shrestha. "This has finally ended the dry spell."
In the valley, the MFD records an average of 14.4 mm rainfall in January. As winter season is not over yet, Shrestha expects more rainfalls in the next couple of weeks as well.
On Friday, Dadeldhura saw the heaviest rainfall (95.4 mm), closely followed by Jumla (82.2 mm). Dipayal and Dhangadhi also got rainfalls in excess of 45 mm each. Places lying in the east of Kathmandu are yet to receive rains.
"Winter-rains caused by western disturbance always start from the far-west," explained Shrestha. "But, it quickly moves toward the east. In the next couple of days, eastern hilly areas, too, will get ample rainfall."
Snowfall in far-western hills
Along with rains, hilly areas in the far-western parts of the country on Friday saw heavy snowfalls, too.
According to Dhangadhi-based Republica correspondent Dil Bahadur Chhatyal, hilly districts like Bajura, Bajhang, Achham, Darchula and Baitadi in the far west were affected by heavy snowfalls. While it started snowing on Thursday in some places, many places observed snowfall only on Friday.
Heavy snowfalls have confined the locals to their houses. "It has been difficult for us to even step out of our house to attend to our cattle," said Man Bahadur Rokaya, a resident of Kolti in Bajura.
Snow has blocked roads in many other areas in fast-west.
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