Editorial photo #13456656 Weather
Mountain Ranges Appear Over Kathmandu After Pollution Drops
Snow-capped mountain ranges are visible behind the Narayanhiti Palace as air quality improves in the Kathmandu Valley following rainfall and snowfall in surrounding regions in Kathmandu, Nepal, on March 16, 2026. The precipitation has helped clear the thick smog that had blanketed the capital in recent days, significantly improving visibility. Earlier in the week, Kathmandu ranked among the world's most polluted cities, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching very unhealthy levels above 200, placing the city among the top three most polluted cities globally according to data from IQAir's AirVisual monitoring platform. (Photo by Safal Prakash Shrestha/NurPhoto)