Most parts of country receive rains, snowfall

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Mar. 3: The pre-monsoon season started with good rainfall across the country and snowfall in the high mountainous districts on Saturday.

On Friday, the last day of the winter season, many parts of the country experienced rain and snowfall. This was the first instance of widespread rain and snowfall occurring this winter.

By Saturday 5:45 pm, Kalikot's Nagma station recorded the highest rainfall at 34 mm. Similarly, Shahu Kharka station in Dadeldhura received 27 mm, Melamchi-Ghyang station in Sindhupalchowk recorded 25.4 mm, Seilbang in Pyuthan saw 22.8 mm, Garba Durbar in Kailali measured 18.2 mm, Dodhara in Kanchanpur received 16.2 mm, and Taal in Manang recorded 15 mm.

Similarly, various parts of the country’s high-mountain areas received heavy snowfall.

Rukum East, the only mountainous district in Lumbini Province also received snowfall from Friday night. While the locals were seen playing in the snow, the passengers were stranded when the Lukim-Patihalna section of the Mid-hill highway was blocked by the snowfall.  However, police later rescued them. 

Our Gorkha correspondent Guna Bahadur Roka reported that the Armed Police Force (APF) of Nepal has cleared snow at the Border Outpost (BOP) in Samdo, northern Gorkha. 

Following heavy snowfall in Samdo, Samagaun, Lho, Syala and surrounding areas of Chumnubri Rural Municipality-1, locals requested assistance, prompting the APF team to remove accumulated snow from roads and rooftops, according to APF Inspector Dharma Raj Pandit of the Samdo BOP.

Up to four feet of snow had blanketed the entire village and roads, making movement impossible on Saturday. Responding to locals’ requests, the APF team began clearing the snow, Inspector Pandit said. 

Meanwhile, tourists heading towards Larke Pass, stranded due to snowfall since Wednesday, have taken shelter at the Jammu Hotel in Samdo.

Local Bir Bahadur Lama said that the severe snowfall in Chumnubri this year has led the rural municipality to issue warnings, advising tourists to assess weather conditions before attempting to cross Larke Pass, according to Chairman of Chumnubri Rural Municipality Nima Lama.

The snowfall has also led to a shortage of fodder for livestock, impacting grazing areas. Similarly, domestic and international tourists on the Manaslu trekking route  faced difficulties, with many unable to leave their hotels, as reported by the Manaslu Conservation Area Project (MCAP) office in Gorkha.

Similarly, our Solukhumbu correspondent Santosh Raut reported snowfall, which did not occur in December and January, finally arrived at the end of February and on the first day of March.

Following heavy snowfall in the Khumbu region of Solukhumbu, Nepal Police has started patrols to assist the locals facing cold-related difficulties. Snowfall began in the high Himalayan region on Friday night, covering areas above Namche Bazaar, which sits at an altitude of around 3,450 metres. Locals are delighted as this is the heaviest snowfall of the season.

As temperatures dropped significantly, the District Police Office of Solukhumbu initiated mountain patrols to ensure public safety and provide guidance on staying warm, informed Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Dwarika Prasad Ghimire.

A team of seven police officers, led by the Assistant Inspector from the Namche Area Police Office, began patrolling early Saturday morning. The officers are visiting Himalayan settlements to assess cold-related problems.

The return of extreme cold following snowfall has affected daily life. Just as temperatures had started to rise in mid-February, heavy snowfall has brought intense cold back to the region. Snowfall has been recorded on hills visible from the district headquarters in Salleri, including Pikey Danda in Tamakhani, Pattale, Taksindu, and Beni, while the lower regions have received rainfall.

Meanwhile, our Bajura correspondent Sher Bahadur Sarki reported that Porkhegadhi in Bajura has turned white once again following continuous rainfall and snowfall on Thursday night.

Located between Badimalika and Budhinanda municipalities, Porkhegadhi has now experienced snowfall three times this winter -- on January 7, January 24 and February 28.