Cyclone Arnav is expected to affect Nepal from Thursday, bringing heavy rain and snowfall that could be most pronounced on Friday and Saturday, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology’s Meteorological Forecasting Division. The division has issued a special bulletin urging people to remain highly vigilant, while senior meteorologist Vibhuti Pokharel said there was no need to panic but that precautions should be taken. Heavy rain and strong winds have also been forecast for five provinces.
Cyclone makes landfall in India
Arnav developed over the Bay of Bengal and intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm before making landfall on India’s Andhra Pradesh coast on Wednesday. The storm came ashore near Visakhapatnam and Yanam, according to reports by Ratopati and Gorkhapatra.
Although the cyclone made landfall in India, Nepal’s weather authorities are warning that its effects are expected to reach the country. The forecast identifies Thursday as the start of the period in which Nepal may be affected, with the likelihood of heavy rain and snowfall increasing especially on Friday and Saturday. The warnings also cover strong winds in five provinces.
Authorities urge vigilance, not panic
The Meteorological Forecasting Division issued a special bulletin to alert the public to the approaching weather system. Its call for high vigilance comes as the forecast points to multiple forms of severe weather, including heavy rain, wind and snowfall. The bulletin, as reported by Global Aawaj, is intended to draw attention to the expected effects as Arnav moves on from its landfall in India.
Senior meteorologist Vibhuti Pokharel urged people to take precautions but said there was no need to panic. Her remarks pair the official warning with a measured message: residents should take the forecast seriously and stay alert, without treating the situation as a cause for unnecessary alarm.
Heavy rain and snowfall expected
The expected weather is not limited to rainfall. Snowfall is also likely, particularly during the period highlighted by forecasters for Friday and Saturday. The warnings of heavy rain and wind apply to five provinces, while the forecast also signals the possibility of snowfall in Nepal. The reports provided do not specify the names of the provinces or give rainfall totals, so the warning remains focused on the broad areas and weather conditions identified by the authorities.
The timing and combination of rain, wind and snow make it important for people to follow updates from the Meteorological Forecasting Division as the system approaches. The division’s special bulletin and Pokharel’s advice both emphasize vigilance and precaution. The current forecast points to Thursday as the beginning of the cyclone’s expected influence in Nepal, with Friday and Saturday singled out for a greater likelihood of heavy rain and snowfall.
Arnav’s landfall near Visakhapatnam and Yanam marks a key stage in the storm’s progress, but Nepal’s authorities are warning that weather effects are expected beyond India’s coast. People across the areas covered by the warning have been urged to remain attentive to official forecasts as conditions develop over the coming days.
