1. Severe Weather Forecasting and Warning Services in Nepal Rajendra P. Shrestha Meteorological Forecasting Division Department of Hydrology and Meteorology Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project Regional Subprojects for the Bay of Bengal and for Southeast Asia – Training Workshop on Severe Weather Forecasting and Warning Services Macao, China 8-19 April 2013

2. Location of Nepal South Asian landlocked country with fascinating topography and climate. It lies between 26 0 22’to30 0 27’N lat and 84 0 04’to 88 0 12’E long. Area: 1,41,741 sq km. Highest elevation: 8848 m Lowest Elevation: 64 m

3. Physiographic view of Nepal KTM D China India

4. 17% 68% 15% Mt. Everest 8848m 60 m

5. Terai (60-200)M,17%, Churia, ( Siwalik Range) (200-1500)M Middle Mountain (Mahabharat range) (1200-2500)M,68% High Mountain (2500-4000)M High Himalayas (4000-8848)M 15% Physiographic Regions based on Topography and 15 Synoptic Stations

7. Relative Vulnerability to Floods

8. Major Weather System in Nepal Season Types of Weather Phenomenon Types of Hazards Winter (Dec-Feb) Westerly Phenomena western disturbances, cold waves, frost, fog and mist Snowfall at high mountains and Himalaya. Poor visibility at valley, Avalanches pre-monsoon (March-May) Severe local convective storms Thundershower, strong winds, heat waves, thunderstorms, lightning, Cloudburst. Windstorm, Hailstorm, Thunderbolt,Drought Monsoon Month (June-September) Easterly and south- easterly phenomena Monsoon disturbances, heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, strong winds, floods, and lightning Floods, Landslides, water logging. Post-monsoon (October-November) -Almost pleasant weather

11. Forecasting Method Persistence method (synoptical, climatological) Model products by WRF (NWP ECMWF, IMD Model Charts, NCEP’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) etc.) Site-specific forecasts for surface weather parameters (EPSgrams) for specified locations (up to 10 stations of country) Satellite images are used

12. 10 locations (synoptic stations) for which the ECMWF would provide EPSgrams for Nepal

13. Dissemination systems DHM is issuing on daily basis public weather bulletins twice a day to the public through internet.(mfd.gov.np) Disseminate the special bulletin to higher authorities by using fax, phone, mobile phones etc. if required. Through media (Both print and e-media) National Disaster Management NGO and INGO

26. Future Plan Installation of AWS in all synoptic stations under SAARC_STORM project. One Doppler Weather Radar probably next year Two GPS Sonde Stations 16 telemetry rainfall stations will be installed in model basin. Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR) is going to commence next year to modernized and development in existing system.

27. Thank You All for Kind Attention