Kathmandu endures rainless winter, pollution persists

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan. 23: This winter, Kathmandu dwellers are more likely to see a blanket of clouds hanging over the valley than to enjoy winter rainfall, which normally helps wash pollutants out of the air.

The lack of rain has allowed dust, vehicle emissions and construction-related pollution to linger, worsening air quality across the capital. However, there is no chance of rainfall in the Valley on Friday and Saturday. 

Light precipitation is likely only in the western parts of the country as a western disturbance develops from Friday afternoon, said Barun Paudel, a senior meteorologist at the Meteorological Forecasting Division under the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM).

There is a chance of snowfall in the mountainous areas of Sudurpaschim, Karnali, Gandaki and Bagmati provinces, along with the possibility of hailstorms in some places. The Kathmandu Valley is expected to remain cloudy with haze on Friday and Saturday, with little chance of rainfall, he said.

“There should normally be four to five weather systems during the winter, bringing rainfall to soak the land and clear pollution. This time, one system arrived Thursday afternoon and another will arrive on Tuesday and Wednesday, but both are expected to mainly affect the western parts of the country, as the systems are moving eastwards very quickly,” Paudel said.

For the past week, senior meteorologists have been monitoring the system and forecasting the possibility of rainfall in the Valley as well. 

Dr. Binod Pokharel, an Associate Professor in the Central Department of Hydrology and Meteorology at Tribhuvan University, also posted on X, saying Kathmandu might see rainfall as two weather systems were developing.

Two days ago, he wrote: “Two weather disturbances will bring precipitation to western Nepal, including next Tuesday, but the central and eastern parts of the country may only see cloud cover, with a chance of precipitation in a few places.”

The current system is likely to bring snowfall to Mustang, Rolpa, Humla and Jajarkot, as well as high mountainous areas of Karnali Province, Paudel said.

Paudel said the DHM had already predicted below-average rainfall this winter based on various models, and that the forecast has now been borne out.

On Thursday, the minimum temperature in Kathmandu was recorded at 3 degrees Celsius, while the lowest temperature was recorded in Jumla at minus 7 degrees Celsius.