October 2: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has urged farmers to postpone the schedule for rice harvesting and ensure prompt storage of already harvested rice as the duration of monsoon is getting prolonged this year.    
Tentatively, the process for monsoon exit commences on October 2, but this year monsoon is still active. Senior meteorologist Barun Poudel said the duration of monsoon is getting prolonged as it is likely to take around one week for its departure.    
According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division under the department, at present the axis of the monsoon trough remains at an average location and Nepal experiences impacts of the low pressure system based in surroundings areas of Bihar and West Bengal states of India.     
Cloudy sky is expected for the next few days and rainfall is likely to take place at several places. Due to this prediction, farmers need to be especially careful about protecting their crops.

“This is rice harvesting season. If there is a plan to cut rice plants, it is advised to postpone by a week and if already collected, it requires prompt storage,” said Poudel, urging famers to wait until the monsoon ends to harvest crops.    
The weather is expected to be partly to generally cloudy throughout the country on Monday night. Light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is likely to occur at some places of Koshi Province, Madesh Province, Bagmati Province and Lumbini Province and at one or two places of rest of the provinces.    
Two years ago, the department had revised the tentative timeline for the entry and exit of monsoon setting it at June 13 to October 2. Prior to this, this timeline was fixed at June 10- September 23. The tentative period for the monsoon is revised based on the analysis every 10 years.    
In the recent years, the exit of monsoon is getting delayed.    
This year, monsoon began on June 14 and it spread nationwide after nine days of arrival. In the initial phase, it caused significant losses of lives in eastern Nepal. -- RSS