Kathmandu chills as temperature falls to 3.4°C

KATHMANDU: Kathmandu Valley is experiencing an intensified cold spell, with the minimum temperature plunging to 3.4 degrees Celsius on Tuesday morning.

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology’s Weather Forecasting Division, temperatures in the Valley have been steadily declining over the past few days.

The minimum temperature stood at 4.7°C on Saturday, dropped to 4°C on Sunday, and further fell to 3.5°C on Monday before reaching 3.4°C at 5:45 am on Tuesday, meteorologist David Dhakal said.

Despite the sharp drop, the current temperature is still slightly higher than the historical average minimum of 2.2°C recorded on Jan 6.

As cold conditions intensify in the hilly regions, dense fog and mist have begun affecting the Terai–Madhesh districts during the morning hours.

The thick fog has led to severe dew formation, making daily life difficult.

However, meteorologists say the situation does not yet meet the technical criteria to be declared a “cold wave,” as sunshine after midday has helped prevent a significant fall in maximum temperatures.

Meanwhile, the likelihood of winter rainfall remains low in the immediate future.

The Weather Forecasting Division stated that no major weather system capable of bringing widespread rain is expected over the next three days.

Light, scattered snowfall may occur in high Himalayan areas of Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces, while the rest of the country is likely to see generally fair weather.