World Meteorological Day: Temperatures soar in Jashore
According to the analysis on 38-year records, Rajshahi witnessed 155 days of maximum and minimum temperature across the country, followed by 153 extreme weather in Jashore and 145 in Ishwardi
A weather analysis finds that Jashore witnesses maximum temperature for long duration in the last 38 years. Environment and public health researcher Atik Ahsan has analysed the maximum and minimum temperature records of nine districts of Bangladesh.
He said that Jashore annually witnesses maximum temperature for 75 days on an average, followed by Rajshahi for 67 days and Ishwardi of Pabna for 58 days.
His study also reveals that Jashore and Rajshahi are the most affected districts by ‘extreme weather’.
The meteorological department records a day with extreme weather if the maximum temperature surpluses 35 degree Celsius or the minimum temperature falls below 15 degree Celsius.
According to the analysis on 38-year records, Rajshahi witnessed 155 days of maximum and minimum temperature across the country, followed by 153 extreme weather in Jashore and 145 in Ishwardi.
Dhaka witnessed 52 days of extreme heat and 36 days of extreme cold in 38 years. Cox’s Bazar remained in good condition as the district witnessed only 32 days of extreme weather.
With a three-year average of maximum temperature, Jashore witnessed 48 days of extreme heat, top among six districts experiencing the extreme event for 31 to 60 days during 1980-1982. In the period, Pabna witnessed 42 days of extreme heat followed by Moulvibazar 36 days, Rajshahi 34 days and Dhaka 15 days, Atik’s analysis finds.
Similarly, another three-year average of maximum temperature shows that Rajshahi and Jashore witnessed maximum temperature for more than 90 days while Chuadanga, Pabna, Satkhira and Khulna witnessed maximum heat for 60 to 90 days during 2015-2017.
During the period Dhaka witnessed 42 hot days while 13 other districts experienced the extreme weather for 31 to 60 days.
According to meteorology department, a mild to moderate heat wave sweeps over the country during March-April. Previously, the waves blew through Ishwardi and persisted over the Rajshahi region for some days. In the recent times, the waves tend to originate from West Bengal of India and blow over Jashore-Chuadanga regions.
Meteorologist Abdul Mannan told Prothom Alo that the wave direction has changed a bit due to temperature rise in the Bay of Bengal.
Weather experts have observed that deforestation and disappearance of waterbodies result in longest period of extreme hot weather.
Ashraf Dewan, senior lecturer at School of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Curtin University, suggests that forest conservation, afforestation and increase of river navigability would intensify rainfall across the coastal belt of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh observed the World Meteorological Day on 23 March with the theme “The Ocean, Our Climate and Weather”.
*This report appeared in the print and online editions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for the English edition by Sadiqur Rahman