Another cold wave imminent in Bangladesh

A warmer condition for over a week in the country gives an impression that the winter is going to end but meteorologists say mercury likely to fall again from Tuesday, reports news agency UNB.

They also said a mild cold wave is likely to grip the country on Thursday or Friday while another may hit Bangladesh at the end of this month.

The weather experts, however, said the people of Bangladesh are experiencing a lower intensity of cold this winter.

They said the temperature is higher than it was in previous years during December and January.

According to a recent report released by Global Climate Risk Index 2019, Bangladesh is the seventh most affected country in the world due to “extreme weather events” over 20 years between 1998 and 2017.

The report also said 407 people died in Bangladesh in 2017 due to extreme weather-related events, while the country suffered an economic loss of about US $2,826.68 million during the period.

Talking to the news agency, Bazlur Rashid, a meteorologist at Bangladesh Meteorology Department, said the country has been experiencing a warmer condition for over a week due to westerly disturbance.

He said the lowest temperature 11.6 degree Celcius was recorded in Noagaon while the highest 31.7 degree Celcius in Cox’s Bazar on Saturday.

Bazlur said the lowest temperature on 9 January last year was 9.6 degrees Celcius at Tentulia while the highest 27.6 degrees Celcius at Teknaf.

He said the average temperature in Dhaka was 18.8 degree Celcius on Saturday while it was 15.5 last year the same day.

Bazlu said the country was experiencing 2–7-degree higher temperature than normal one while Dhaka 6.5 degrees on Saturday.

As per their analysis, Bazlur said January is the coldest month of Bangladesh historically. “But the country is now experiencing a summer-like weather as the wind is carrying moisture from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea which is blocking the flow of cold wind. We call it westerly disturbance.”

He said Bangladesh has been witnessing comparatively warmer winter for a decade, with the gradual fall in cold intensity while the country’s overall temperature has marked around 1.2 degree Celcius rise during the period.

“There’s no exception this winter, too. The mercury is not falling to the level it should be at this time. The temperature is showing an uptrend from the end of December,” the meteorologist observed.

Meteorologist Md Aftab Uddin said a warmer condition has been prevailing across the country due to a strong influence of westerly in Kashmir, Himalayas and Rajasthan areas. “That’s why northwesterly wind flow that brings cold has been obstructed.”

Besides, he said, moisture in the wind has increased due to the influence a lower-level westerly, creating an uneasy and warmer condition.

“This situation will end within 2-3 days and the night temperature may start falling from Tuesday night,” Aftab said.

He said a mild cold wave may sweep over the country from Thursday or Friday and it will persist for some days. “The temperature in Dhaka is unlikely to fall significantly during the cold wave.”

Aftab another cold wave my come during the last week of this month which will have influence mainly on the country’s northern region.

He said this year the winter began normally in early November. “We usually call December, January and February as the winter season. Since the winter began early this season, the temperature may continue to rise from the second week of February.”

Afatb said the temperature came down to below 6-degree Celsius during February last year in different areas, including Rangpur, but it may not happen this year.

Aftab said the winter should persist till the last week of February as per the normal pattern of the weather.