Impact-based weather forecast from now onward

Kathmandu, March 24 (RSS): The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has been releasing a bulletin of weather forecast of every three days. It includes forecast of weather in the province-wise high-hill and mountainous areas of the country. 

But today's bulletin of the Department is something different. A release has been issued calling for the public to take necessary precautions with the statement 'The country's mountainous region would see partial to minor changes in weather in coming 24 hours. 

Brief shower with thunderstruck is likely to take place in four places of Gandaki, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces and in one-two areas of mountainous region of remaining provinces". 

According to the Department, now the country has the influence of local along with westerly winds. 

The weather forecast bulletin issued by the Department only has weather forecast information of coming three days. These information are helpful to know the situation of weather but not the details of possible weather impacts in different sectors. 

Though the weather forecast system is somehow effective than the past one it has not worked well to mitigate the effects. 

The disaster trends of the last year can be taken as a reference to substantiate the proposition. According to Deputy Director General of the Department Archana Shrestha, the adoption of traditional measure for weather forecasting has not worked much to mitigate loss caused by erratic weather conditions. 

Against the backdrop, the country is adopting a practice of impact-based weather forecasting not only to forecast the weather-incurred incidents but also its effects, necessary precautionary measures to be adopted and a plan to mobilize agencies in different sectors. 

The project would be piloted from this year. Shrestha said, "The programme has been introduced to lessen the loss of weather-idnuced and water-induced disasters, protect human lives from natural calamities, make the society aware of weather and reap benefits from good weather conditions".