A strong cold wave is sweeping across the northern regions of the country, as Tetulia in Panchagarh district recorded this winter’s lowest temperature so far at 7.4°C on Wednesday.
In general, the 44 stations of the Meteorological Department of Bangladesh are predicting higher temperatures over the next three to four days. Despite this, dense fog has been reported in many parts of the country, especially in Rangpur and Rajshahi regions.
According to meteorologist Md Omar Faruk, two or three of the stations are showing declining temperatures while others are showing rising trends in temperatures.
While talking to Bangladesh Post, he predicts that the country's average temperature may drop starting on January 9.
Some meteorologists said that the cold front is expanding. But it will start decreasing in a day or two. Because it enters a cold current when the minimum temperature in the winter drops to between 2.6 and 10 °C, it is also referred to as a cold current.
Analyzing the last 30 years of data, they found that the month of December usually has one to two mild cold fronts.
Over the next 48 hours, Bangladesh is bracing itself for the impact of dense fog and a mild to moderate cold wave, which could lead to disruptions in transportation and affect various regions of the country.
The latest weather forecast, released on Wednesday by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, outlines a synoptic situation characterized by a ridge of sub-continental high extending up to West Bengal and the adjoining northwestern part of Bangladesh. Additionally, a
seasonal low positioned over the South Bay, with its channel extending to the North Bay, is contributing to the prevailing weather conditions.
Moderate to dense fog appeared from midnight to morning on Wednesday and persisted till noon in some areas. This led to some disruptions in air navigation, inland river transport, and road communication.
Night and day temperatures remained nearly unchanged, resulting in cold day conditions due to the dense fog.
Mild to moderate cold wave conditions were sweeping over the districts of Dinajpur, Panchagarh, and Nilphamari and are expected to continue. The wind direction and speed in Dhaka were forecasted to be north/north-westerly at 08-12 kph. The relative humidity in Dhaka at 06 am was recorded at 97 percent (pc). Sunset in Dhaka at 05:24 pm, and Thursday’s sunrise is projected at 06:42 am.
Looking ahead, the outlook for the next five days suggests a further fall in night temperatures. Residents are advised to stay updated with the latest weather forecasts and take necessary precautions, especially during travel, considering the dense fog and cold wave conditions.
On January 8, 2018, at Tentulia in Panchagarh, the nation's minimum temperature dropped to 2.6 degrees Celsius, which the Meteorological Office says was the lowest temperature ever recorded in the country. And in Dhaka in 1953 the minimum temperature fell to 4.5 degrees.