KATHMANDU: The Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA) has issued a weather alert, warning that a system developing over the Bay of Bengal could bring heavy weather to Nepal on October 29 and 30, with heavy snowfall in the Himalayas above the freezing level.

The alert, prepared with senior meteorologist Krishna Bhakta Manandhar, is based on the GFS forecast model, which it describes as indicative. According to the note, a system that began developing over the east-central Bay of Bengal on October 24 is expected to become a depression on October 25 and a deep depression on October 26, moving westward.

On October 27 it may intensify into a cyclone over the west-central Bay of Bengal, near coastal Andhra Pradesh. The NNMGA said it is too early to say whether the system will move inland, but that it is likely to cross coastal Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha on October 28 and then move north-northwest or north.

On October 28, thin high clouds may spread over Nepal, especially above 6,500-7,000m, with occasional 1-2cm of snow over the eastern Himalayas, including the Khumbu and Kanchenjunga regions. On October 29-30, the remnants of the system are expected to move toward the Gangetic plains and adjoining Nepal, bringing "significantly heavy" weather activity, the note said.

For October 31, the NNMGA said it was too early to forecast, but clouds may remain into the morning, or some snow may fall in the Himalayas.