– A mild cold wave is anticipated at the end of the week
– Season’s lowest recorded in Naogaon, reaching 11.4°C
Shanchita Shitu, Abdur Rouf Pavel: The temperature across the entire country, including Dhaka, has experienced a notable decrease of 4-6°C. On Monday, the lowest temperature of the season was recorded at Badalgachi in Naogaon, reaching 11.4°C.
Meteorologist Abul Kalam Azad predicts a further drop in temperature starting from Tuesday.
Additionally, a mild cold wave is anticipated to sweep across various regions, including the northern parts of the country, starting from Wednesday.
He said that some places may witness temperatures dropping below 10°C on Monday night.
Similarly, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Jessore in Khulna division, Kushtia, Srimangal in Sylhet, Dinajpur, Lalmonirhat, Thakurgaon, and Panchagarh may experience temperatures below 10°C in certain areas, signaling the onset of colder conditions and a gradual increase in winter intensity, he mentioned.
Northern region already suffering
Badalgachi in Naogaon, which recorded the season’s lowest temperature, will maintain the lowest temperatures over the next three days, Abul Kalam Azad said.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) reported that the upazila’s lowest temperature the day before was 14°C.
Locals said there is a strong wind in the evenings and the nights are foggy. Up until dawn, dense fog shrouds the entire town.
Vehicles have to operate with their headlights on even during the day, they said. But the fog clears as the day goes on, and then in the afternoons it gets chilly again.
Winter has brought suffering for the locals, especially low-income individuals. The rapid drop in temperature is making it difficult for the district’s residents to adjust.
Situation in capital
On Monday morning, the capital saw sunshine, but by midday, a sudden onset of winter winds from the north caused temperatures to plummet.
Individuals who spent time outdoors found themselves vulnerable to the abrupt cold, particularly street workers.
Coldwave-India
File image: People warm up around a fire during a rainy and cold day in Amritsar, India, on January 7, 2020. Photo: AFP
Ramiz Miah, a rickshaw driver in Banglamotor, said: “It was cold last night. I went home without driving the rickshaw. I woke up in the morning and went out to enjoy the sun. It was fine until noon. Suddenly, it felt even colder. I didn’t even have warm clothes. Driving a rickshaw has become challenging.”
Hawkers on the roadside faced similar challenges. Ashik, a street vendor from Paltan, said: “The morning sun was comfortable. However, as the day progressed, the winter wind intensified. Standing outdoors has become difficult. The cold is affecting my nose and mouth.”
Meanwhile, many office-goers who left home in the morning without heavy clothing found themselves in discomfort when returning in the afternoon. The unexpected cold wind caught them off guard.
Lower-income individuals were spotted seeking warmth near roadside shop’s ovens used for making pitha.
Weather situation
The minimum temperature in Dhaka on Monday is 16.6°C, marking the lowest temperature this season. This shows a significant drop from 19.5°C recorded on Saturday.
Similar temperature decreases were observed in other cities: Rajshahi dropped from 18.8°C to 12.3°C, Rangpur from 15.5°C to 15.3°C, Mymensingh from 19.3°C to 15.3°C, Sylhet from 19.8°C to 18°C, Chittagong from 23.3°C to 18.2°C, Khulna from 20°C to 15°C, and Barisal from 19.8°C to 14.7°C.
According to BMD weather bulletin on Monday evening, the weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country.
Winter-Fog-coldwave-cold
Moderate to thick fog may occur over northern part and river basins of the country and light to moderate fog may occur elsewhere over the country during mid-night to morning.
Night temperature may fall by (1-2)°C and day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.
Mild cold wave may sweep at places over the country from Wednesday evening.
This year’s lowest temperature was recorded at 5.6°C at Sreemangal of Moulvibazar on January 20, while it was 9.5°C in Chuadanga on December 16 last year.
Mercury dropped to 4°C in Sreemangal on January 11, 2013. One of the coldest areas in the country, the upazila had logged a temperature of 2.8°C in 1964.
