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May brings hope for relief from the ongoing heatwave.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecast rain, reviving the chance of an end to the punishing month-long heatwave across the country.
“The temperature may ease in many areas from Thursday,” said meteorologist Abdur Rahman Khan at a briefing on Wednesday. “Parts of the Mymensingh, Sylhet, and Dhaka Divisions and the Cumilla area may see scattered rain on Thursday. But temperatures in the northwestern and western districts are likely to stay the same until Friday.”
“Places like Jashore, Kushtia, Chuadanga, and Rajshahi may see rain a few days later. After May 3 or May 4, there will be rain across the country. However, due to the humidity, it may remain uncomfortable. Still, it will become more tolerable.”
After five to six days with the likelihood of rain, temperatures will start rising again, the meteorologist said.
Asked what temperatures would be like on Wednesday, he said, “The temperature will be similar to what it was yesterday in those areas [Jashore, Chuadanga].”
Jashore, Kushtia, Chuadanga, Pabna, Rajshahi, Bagerhat, and Sarkhira are experiencing a very severe heatwave. Tangail, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Narayanganj, Naogaon, Sirajganj, Dinajpur, and the rest of the Khulna Division are seeing a severe heat wave. Mild to medium heatwaves are flowing over the rest of the country.
In its 24-hour forecast, the BMD said that a couple of places in the Chattogram and Sylhet divisions may experience temporary gusts or stormy weather with rain and lightning. There may also be hail in a few places.
Meteorologists consider the 36-38 degrees Celsius threshold a mild heatwave and 38-40 degrees Celsius a moderate heatwave. Temperatures beyond 40 degrees Celsius are categorised as severe heatwaves.
The mercury hit 43.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday in Jashore – the second highest temperature on record in Bangladesh. The temperature also rose to 43.7 degrees Celsius in Chuadanga, while it hit a high of 38.6 degrees Celsius in Dhaka.
The last time temperatures had reached this level was on May 21, 2014, when Chuadanga registered a temperature of 43.2 degrees Celsius. It remained the second-highest temperature in the country until Tuesday.
The highest temperature recorded in the country since independence was 45.1 degrees Celsius on May 18, 1972. It remains the highest temperature on record.
The heatwave roiling Bangladesh has lasted 31 days already. It is the longest such heatwave on record.
According to meteorologist AKM Nazmul Haque, Bangladesh had previously seen a 26-day heatwave from Apr 5 – Apr 30, 2014, a 25-day heatwave from Apr 6 – Apr 30, 2016, and a 23-day heatwave from Apr 13 – May 5, 2023.
Chuadanga and Jashore are experiencing the worst of the current heatwave.
Asked why, meteorologist Omar Faruk said, “Temperatures are usually higher in these areas. That has been the case for a long time. This is because these areas are near India’s Bihar and West Bengal. The temperature rose to 44 degrees Celsius there [in India] and the heat can be felt on this side too.”
According to the BMD data, Bangladesh has grown warmer over the past three decades while rain and days of cold have gone down. Hot days are experienced for longer throughout the year too. The average temperature of April has risen, making it even hotter.
Azizur Rahman, director of the BMD, said that it has gotten hotter because the water vapour does not accumulate and turn into rain, instead moving away from the country.
“For rain to occur, there must be water vapour, which was not accumulating over Bangladesh. The water vapour that is accumulating is going further north to the Himalayas or to China and there it is condensing into rain. That is why it has not rained in the country for so long.”
Though rain may be coming, it may bring more problems with it. Flash floods have been forecast in the coming month in the northeast of the country.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said on Tuesday that Bangladesh and the upstream Meghna basin may see up to 250mm of rain in the first week of May. As a result, water levels in the rivers in the northeast will swell.
As a result, the water may overflow the banks of the Surma River in Kanaihat, the Lubhachora River in Lubhachora, the Sarigoain River in Sarighat and the Goainghat Point in the Sylhet region.