A major storm has hit Nepal, dumping heavy rain in the lowlands and deep snow at altitude, and the peak of the bad weather is only just passing. The system, driven by moisture from the Bay of Bengal, is expected to be at its worst around September 25-27 across the central and western mountains — putting Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and the Everest region squarely in its path.
On Dhaulagiri, a small group from 8K Expeditions has ridden it out at Base Camp. Six climbers, including Argentina's Pablo Buchbinder, have been shovelling snow off their tents, with more staff on site. British climber Paul Clarke told ExplorersWeb that everyone is safe and in decent spirits, though heavy avalanches have been rumbling down the mountain above, hidden by poor visibility. Once the skies clear, a big incoming team led by Andrzej Bargiel will arrive to fix the route — he's aiming to climb and ski the 8,167m peak.
Manaslu has seen more retreats. Most of 8K's team has pulled back to Kathmandu, and a Russian team led by Denis Aleksander and Artem Tsentsenivski dropped down to the village of Samagaon during heavy snowfall. A skeleton crew remains at Base Camp.
The Khumbu Valley is getting the same treatment, but trekkers there are in a far better position. With year-round lodges and solid infrastructure along the Everest Base Camp trail and routes onto easier 6,000m peaks, the advice is simple: get off the slopes and wait out the storm in a warm teahouse. Villages like Lobuche were busy doing exactly that. No major expeditions are planned in the region right now, though the Ama Dablam rope-fixing team should be heading up once conditions allow.
There's also a serious picture on the ground in Nepal generally. The Bagmati River has overflowed in Kathmandu, a month after deadly flash floods near Langtang and the Tibetan border. The bigger worry is the southern lowlands, or Terai, where heavy rain plus snowmelt could push rivers over their banks. Nepal's Meteorological Service is posting forecasts and alerts, and it's worth checking before any travel in the country this week.
If you're trekking in Nepal right now, stay put and stay low — the front moves west after the peak days, though Sunday will still be wet. Anyone with autumn climbs booked on Manaslu, Dhaulagiri or in the Annapurna area (the Japanese Gangapurna West team has been silent) should expect delayed rotations and route-fixing while the mountains shed this snow. Kangchenjunga, on the eastern border, is likely the least affected 8,000er, with no known teams on it. For regular trekkers, the good news is that autumn season itineraries should recover quickly once this system clears — but flexibility in your booking is everything this week.
