Country braces for cold waves as low over Bay deepens

FE Team | Published: December 13, 2024 00:37:44

Dhaka was enveloped in a thick blanket of fog on Thursday morning, signaling the arrival of winter with reduced visibility and a dip in temperature, report agencies.
The winter chill is expected to intensify this week, as a cold wave is forecasted to affect parts of the country, followed by another cold wave anticipated toward the end of December.
Dhaka's lowest temperature was recorded at 14.8°C at 6:00 AM on Thursday. According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department's (BMD) regular weather bulletin, the lowest temperature in the past 24 hours, as of Thursday morning, was 10.2°C in Gopalganj and Chuadanga.
Temperatures have also dropped in Barishal, with Bhola recording a low of 10.5°C and Madaripur 11.3°C. Minimum temperatures across almost all regions have fallen below 20°C. Meanwhile, the highest temperature during this period was recorded at 29.5°C in Sitakunda, Chattogram.
Meanwhile, a low-pressure system over the southwestern Bay of Bengal has intensified into a well-marked low-pressure area, according to the BMD.
The weather system is currently located near the Sri Lankan coast, with its extension reaching the northern Bay of Bengal. The subcontinental high-pressure ridge extends over India's Bihar and its surrounding areas.
The low is moving towards India's Tamil Nadu and is unlikely to have any impact on Bangladesh, said Shahnaz.
The fog, which began to settle in the early hours of Thursday, significantly reduced visibility in some areas.
Street vendors, rickshaw pullers, and early-morning workers were seen wrapped in warm clothing, braving the chilly weather to continue their work.
For many people the fog added a touch of seasonal charm to the city's otherwise bustling streets.
As Dhaka continues to experience winter's grip the foggy mornings are likely to persist, affecting normal life but also signaling the arrival of the much-anticipated winter season in the city.
In Manikganj, ferry services on Aricha-Kazirhat and Paturia-Daulatdia routes in Manikganj resumed on Thursday morning after seven and ten hours of suspension respectively due to dense fog.
Nasir Chowdhury, deputy general manager of Aricha Sector of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation, said the ferry services resumed around 10:30am.
As winter settles over Bangladesh, a noticeable chill has gripped parts of the country in recent days.
The mercury is set to sink further as a cold wave is expected to sweep across the country in the coming days, although Dhaka could evade its grasp, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).
"A cold wave may hit different regions of the country this week. While it's uncertain whether Dhaka will experience it, northern areas are more likely to be affected," Meteorologist Shahnaz Sultana said on Thursday.
A second cold snap is possible towards the end of December, she added.
The BMD predicts that both day and night temperatures across the country may drop slightly over the next 24 hours starting from Thursday morning.
Additionally, from midnight to morning, moderate to dense fog may form in the northern and northeastern parts of the country, while other regions could experience light to moderate fog.
Report from Chuadanaga adds: Chuadanga and Gopalganj have been shivering as a cold wave coupled with wind is sweeping the districts.
Chuadanga weather office recorded the country's lowest temperature at 10.2 degree Celsius in Chuadanga and nearby Gopalganj district on Thursday.
Vehicles were seen moving with headlights on Thursday morning to avoid accident due to poor visibility, taking time to reach destination.
The low-income people, day labourers are the worst sufferers amid the knee-shaking cold as they have to move out of home to earn bread.
Rakibul Hasan, senior observer at Chuadanga First Class Weather Observatory Office, said the humidity in the wind was 97 percent at 9am.