Mercury rising before another cold wave after Jan 20

Some Rabi crops may be hit by fickle temp

January 19, 2020 00:00:00

FE Report

After witnessing the six-week long bone-chilling cold, the mercury started rising suddenly in the city and elsewhere in the country over the last two days.

If such ups and downs in temperature prevail, it could hamper some Rabi (winter) crops including wheat, potato, oil seeds, spices, Boro seed-beds and some vegetables, said agronomists.

The maximum temperature of the country was recorded at 31 degrees Celsius in Cox's Bazar on the day, the highest this winter. The minimum temperature was recorded at 11.3 degrees Celsius in Srimangal on the day.

Dhaka city witnessed on the day the highest temperature of 29.6 degrees Celsius in last one and a half months. Its minimum temperature was recorded at 16 degrees Celsius on Saturday morning.

As the mercury rose, many city dwellers said they went out leaving warm clothes behind.

Even many people have to use electric fans at home amid such warm weather.

Dr Sadequl Alam, a meteorologist, told the FE that winter came much earlier this year---from the first week of November and it continued until the second week of January.

He said a big chunk of cloud entered the country through its western parts in last few days, for which the weather grew hot.

Rain might occur in many places in next two days across the country. After the rain, another spell of cold wave might start sweeping many places of the country after January 20, he said.

Asked, he said, it wouldn't be logical to say that the sudden rise in temperature had a link to climate change.

"But yes, if we analyse data of last 30 years, we will find that the length of the winter season has been decreasing gradually in the country which has a link to the global warming," he said.

Director (Research) of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) Dr Md Abdul Wohab said if winter ends so early and such ups and downs in temperature prevail, it could seriously hamper most of the winter crops, especially wheat, potato, Boro seed beds, oil seeds and some vegetables.

He said temperature should be between 15 degrees Celsius (minimum) and 25 degrees Celsius (maximum) that favours sound growth of wheat, potato and few other Rabi crops.

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