Cold waves likely to hit Bangladesh in second half of December

Bangladesh might find itself caught in the chilly embrace of one or two cold waves, particularly sweeping through its western and northern regions, in the second half of December.

In its monthly weather forecast released on Sunday, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department said temperatures are expected to gradually decrease throughout the month, with the possibility of mild to moderate cold spells.

A cold wave is defined as a temperature drop where the minimum temperature falls below 6 degrees Celsius across a large area.

A temperature range between 6-8 degrees Celcius is considered a moderate cold wave, while a range of 8-10 degrees Celsius is classified as a mild cold wave.

The Met Office also warned of the potential development of one or two low pressure systems over the Bay of Bengal in December, one of which may develop into a depression or even a cyclone.

In November, the sea saw two low pressure systems, one of which intensified into a cyclone named “Fengal”, impacting India’s Tamil Nadu coast but leaving Bangladesh largely unaffected.

The forecast for December also predicts moderate to dense fog in the river basin areas from midnight to morning, with light to moderate fog elsewhere.

The overall rainfall in the country is expected to remain normal, while the flow in major rivers is likely to stay stable.