Slim chances of storms

Weathermen say there is almost no chance of storms in Dhaka city and its suburbs on Monday. The nation is celebrating ‘Pahela Baishakh’ today. However, the Met Office said some regions including Noakhali and Comilla might have rain with gusty winds and thunder. Storms lashed parts of Rangpur, Dinajpur and a few other northernmost districts on Sunday evening, on the eve of Pahela Baishakh. Keeping tabs on the weather is central to Bangla new year celebrations since the scorching season is prone to ‘Kalbaishakhi’ or Nor’wester storms, mostly unpredictable in nature. It is a strong northwest wind pattern that develops in the Bay of Bengal during the summer. Earlier, there was heavy hailstorm with winds reaching up to 52 km an hour in various regions including Dhaka on April 3, following days of excruciating heat. Bazlur Rashid, senior meteorologist of the Met office, said the weather might be dry on Monday. “There are chances of showers interrupting the heat in areas surrounding Dhaka. There is little chance of that in Dhaka. There is, however, a slight possibility of stormy winds sweeping the capital.” The country is now under a mild heat wave with temperatures ranging from 36 to 38 degrees Celsius, said the Met office. Tangail, Faridpur, Chandpur, Rajshahi, Khulna and Barisal will continue to experience such high temperatures, according to bdnews24.com.