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The deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclone by Thursday night.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the influence of the storm may result in light rain in the southern part of the country.
On Thursday morning, meteorologist Bazlur Rashid said: "The deep depression may turn into a cyclone today. But it is not a very powerful cyclone. It will move towards the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu in the form of a cyclone,” according to a bdnews24.com report.
"There is little chance of rain on Thursday. Light rain is expected on Friday and Saturday."
A low-pressure system was formed over the Bay of Bengal on Saturday, which later turned into a well-marked low, a depression, and then a deep depression on Tuesday.
If the deep depression turns into a cyclone, it will be named 'Fengal’. The name was proposed by Saudi Arabia.
Cyclones in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal are named by the World Meteorological Organisation, or WMO.
The names of new cyclones are decided in phases from the list of names given by 13 countries in the region.
According to a special weather bulletin issued by the Met office, the deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining area moved slightly north-northwestwards and now lies over the same area.
At 6 am on Thursday, it was located about 1,825 km southwest of Chattogram port, 1,770 km southwest of Cox's Bazar port, 1,715 km southwest of Mongla port, and 1,710 km southwest of Payra port.
It is likely to move in a north-northwesterly direction and intensify further, the Met Office added.
Maximum sustained wind speed within 48 km of the deep depression centre is about 50 kph rising to 60 kph in gusts or squalls.
The sea will remain rough near the deep depression centre. Because of that, the maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla, and Payra have been advised to keep distant cautionary signal No. 1 hoisted.
All fishing boats and trawlers over the north bay and deep sea have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution until further notice.
NORTH SHIVERING WITH COLD
Tetulia in the northern district of Panchagarh is trembling due to the severe cold. While temperatures in the capital Dhaka have cooled slightly, the mercury in the northern Upazila has dropped to 12 degrees Celsius.
According to the regular bulletin of the Met Office issued on Thursday morning, the 12.1 degrees Celsius recorded in Tetulia over the past 24 hours is the lowest temperature of the season thus far.
Meteorologist Bazlur said, “The temperature in Tetulia is the lowest so far this season. Temperatures may fall further in the region. Winter has just begun. The intensity of the cold will increase further after the cyclone."
It is not just Tetulia. The winter chill has gripped almost all the districts in the northern part of Bangladesh.
Over the last 24 hours, the Met Office recorded lows of 14.5 degrees Celsius in Dinajpur, 15.4 degrees Celsius in Kurigram’s Rajarhat, 15.6 degrees Celsius in Nilphamari’s Dimla, 16.2 degrees Celsius in Sayedpur, and 17.2 degrees Celsius in Rangpur.
The highest temperature in the country at the time was 31.1 degrees Celsius in Cox's Bazar.
Met office said a slight increase in day and night temperatures is likely across the country in the 24 hours from 9 am on Thursday.