The monsoon season has just started in Nepal, where it usually occurs between June and August, slowing down in early September. Known as the “Rainy Season” days are wet, humid and warm, with temperatures reaching up to 30°C. Despite the monsoon season being characterised by periodic heavy rains, it is actually caused by a reversal of wind direction which alters the pressure systems over the Indian Subcontinent. Interestingly, trans-Himalayan regions in the north of Nepal, such as Dolpo and Mustang, do not experience a monsoon due to their geography and remain mostly dry year-round.
During the monsoon months, rain normally lasts between 3 and 4 hours each day, often falling in the night or early morning which allows the sky to clear for beautiful mountain views during parts of the day. The summer rains of the monsoon season also bring extraordinary colours to Nepali nature. Rice terraces, fields and vegetation become a lush green during these months, and flowers blossom in vibrant colours. The clearing of skies in September as the monsoon winds down makes September to November the ideal months for trekking, as nature is still in its magnificence following the monsoon season.
Monsoon rains in Nepal can cause issues of land destabilisation resulting in landslides, which have become particularly in the Sindhupalchok region. In 2021, landslides caused by heavy rains have displaced hundreds of people as their houses were destroyed by rockfall or swept away by monsoon-rain filled rivers.
This has caused severe food security issues as vital agricultural terraces have been destroyed, with these problems worsened by road destruction which has affected the transportation of relief aid. In the past few years, monsoon rains have become more erratic due to climate change, which has altered temperature trends across the Indian Subcontinent.
