Nepal, Dec. 15 -- Nepal is now facing its fourth consecutive rainless winter. Winter precipitation has failed since 2022, and the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology's latest seasonal forecast confirms that rainfall from December 2025 to February 2026 will once again be below normal, with some places receiving no rainfall. This is no longer a temporary anomaly; it is a clear warning of a deepening systemic shift.

Though the winter rain provides only a fifth of the annual water budget, the most immediate impact of dry winters has been on crops like wheat, barley, lentils, mustard, vegetables and fodder, which directly affect food security and dairy production. Dry forest floors are prone to wildfires. However, the not-so-obvious conse...