Nepal; surrounded by the land of South Asia, could be said
to have a comparatively mild climate. As it is bounded by the People's
Republic of China to the north and India to the south, east
and west, the Himalayan mountain range runs across Nepal's
northern and western parts also giving the region a characteristic sub-artic
climate. Having eight of the world's ten highest mountains situated within its
boundaries, including the highest, Mount Everest, Nepal is a world famous
tourist destination all-year round.
Nepal typically has two seasons - the dry season from
October to May and the rainy, monsoon season from June to September. Early
spring; March to April and late autumn; October to November are the best times
to visit, and also present the clearest mountain observations and high-quality
weather for trekking. The months of December to February features high ranges
of snow on the mountains while temperatures classically fall below freezing
point at the higher altitudes. The typical summer months from June to August
can be very hot and are recommended to visiting the country.
Dry Season
The start of the dry season is in many ways
the absolute best time to visit Nepal.
Furthermore, the weather is still balmy. The weather will start to get chilly
towards the beginning of November while once December arrives it could be said
winter is well in progress.
Rainy Season
Also known as the monsoon season, Nepal’s
climate is relatively warm throughout these months. The summer monsoon, a
strong flow of humid air from the south begins after the pre-monsoon season. The
entrance of summer is known to vary throughout all regions of Nepal however it
does normally take place around the beginning of June and comes with powerful
thunderstorms and an excellent display or lightening, commonly ending toward
the end of September. On the other hand, when drawn out breaks in the summer
monsoon occur; severe drought and food shortage often result.
The post monsoon season originates with a
slow extraction of the monsoon. By mid-October the series is almost
non-existent. By this time, the harvest is completed and locals are in a
festive mood; also a great time for visiting the country.
After the post monsoon, comes the winter
monsoon, a strong north-easterly flow. At this time the amount of precipitation
results in the northeast land winds differing significantly but also inclines with
elevation.
The Himalayas, which lie to the north of the
country acts as an important factor influencing Weather in Nepal.
The gigantic Himalayas play an important role in shaping up the weather of Nepal.
It blocks the north-westerly winds weighed down with moisture which causes much
of the rain in the summer. During the winter months, this mountain peak
prevents the cold, dry air originating in Central Asia from entering the
country which enables Nepal
to generally enjoy warm winter weather.
Nepal has five climatic zones, generally equivalent to the
altitudes. The tropical and subtropical zones lie below 1,200m, the temperate
zone 1,200m to 2,400m, the cold zone 2,400m to 3,600m, the sub-arctic zone
3,600m to 4,400m, and the Arctic zone
Tropical and Subtropical Zone
The tropical/sub-tropical zone experiences
mild winters and hot, humid summers. Due to the nearby active vertical uplift,
there is plentiful rainfall and during summer periods, thunderstorms can occur
every day.
Because a considerable part of the Sun’s
heat is used up in evaporation and rain formation, temperatures in Nepal
in the tropics rarely exceed 27°C; a daytime maximum of 24°C is more common. At
night minimum temperatures fall no lower than approximately 19°C.
Temperate
Zone
The temperate climate of Nepal
is one without extremes of temperature and precipitation variance. The
alterations between summer and winter are generally stimulating without being
gallingly extreme. Since the prevailing winds are westerly in Nepal’s temperate
zone, the western edge of the country in this areas experience a much milder
climate averaging around 20°C all-year round. The temperature increases inland,
with warmer summers and colder winters.
Cold Zone
Being far away from the moderating
influences of the ocean, the cold zone in Nepal
usually experiences mild summers and colder winters. This zone is often found
to be relatively dry; most of the moisture carried by air masses originating in
the midst of the mountains. Through the summer temperatures will generally stay
around 16oC and during the winter will drop to approximately 9oC.
Sub-Artic Zone
Nepal’s sub-arctic zone has brief, cool summers and
bitterly cold winters. This region can experience the lowest temperatures
outside of Antarctica,
and the largest annual temperature range of any climate. Though the summer is
short, the day length is quite long. Daytime temperatures can rise above 15oC,
while dropping to 4oC during the evening.
The total annual precipitation in this zone
is fairly minimal, amounting to no more than 380mm to 500mm over the year. The
summer precipitation is three times that of winter.
Arctic Zone
Temperatures in the Arctic Zone are below
freezing throughout the year and annual temperature ranges are large but again
not as large as in the continental sub-arctic climates. Although this region is
much too high to have locals residing, winters are off-putting, with average
monthly temperatures from -20°C to -25°C .On the mountains precipitation can occur
near the surface and may appear as ice fogs.
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