The Meteorological Forecasting Division (MFD) has issued a warning for widespread rainfall, including heavy to very heavy downpours, across Nepal on Friday. Active monsoon winds and a shifting low-pressure trough closer to Nepal have brought cloudy conditions nationwide, triggering light to moderate rainfall in Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali, and Sudurpashchim provinces since morning.
Weather experts have cautioned that the capital, Kathmandu Valley, is at a high risk of heavy rainfall during both day and night. According to MFD meteorologist Bibhuti Pokharel, while the continuous rainfall since Thursday night showed a brief respite on Friday morning, the weather remains highly unstable, and torrential downpours are highly likely later in the day.
For daytime conditions, the MFD predicts moderate rain and thunderstorms across most hilly and mountainous terrains, with heavy rainfall expected at isolated places in the hills and the plains of Lumbini Province. The threat intensifies at night, with forecasts predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall (up to 200 mm within 24 hours) in parts of Koshi, Madhesh, Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini, and Sudurpashchim provinces.
To help citizens better understand weather warnings, the MFD clarified its standard classifications:
Rainfall Intensity: Light (<10 mm), Moderate (10–50 mm), Heavy (50–100 mm), Very Heavy (100–200 mm), and Extremely Heavy (>200 mm) within a 24-hour window.
Coverage Area: Isolated/One-two places means less than 10% coverage; Few places means 10–30%; Some places means 30–50%; Many places means 50–80%; and Most places indicates over 80% of the region will receive rain.
Authorities advise residents, especially those residing near riverbanks and landslide-prone hilly slopes, to remain highly vigilant.
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