KATHMANDU, Nepal–This year’s monsoon is likely to be delayed due largely to El Nino effect, thanks to the impact of climate change which could be seen in the country’s agricultural sector that shares 80 percent of the total labour force, contributing 42 per cent on the national income.
It is likely to weaken this year’s monsoon and could also reduce the amount of rainfall, giving the farmer extra dose of sad, according to Meteorological Forecasting Division (MFD).
Existing trend of monsoon in South Asia also shows that Nepal will experience delay in the beginning of this year’s monsoon.
Monsoon in Nepal usually begins around June 10 and remains effective for three months. However, this year monsoon is likely be delayed by a week or more.
Last year, the country witnessed the longest ever monsoon after 65 years, lasting for four months after it started on the second week of June.
The 5th meeting of the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum held in April in Pune of India, had also issued its climate viewpoint for the summer monsoon of 2014.
The summer monsoon originates in the Bay of Bengal and moves along the southern flank of the Himalayas, bringing rain to Nepal.
Monsoon rainfall is now said to be active in the eastern region of the Bay of Bengal and in the process of heading towards Nepal.
In average, Nepal receives about 75 per cent rainfall during monsoon, annually. The Himalayan nation had experienced 1455.3mm of rainfall during the monsoon last year compared to 1343.9mm in 2012.