Heatwave sweeping across seven districts likely to spread

A mild heatwave is sweeping over seven districts midway into the Bengali month of Chaitra and is likely to spread over the next several days, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department has said.

On Thursday, Meteorologist Md Omar Faruk said, “The heatwave could spread over the next two-three days. There’s no possibility of rainfall in this period.”

A regular bulletin from the met office on Thursday morning mentioned that the heatwave sweeping across Rajshahi, Rangamati, Feni, Sitakunda, Jashore, Bagerhat and Patuakhali was likely to persist, according to a bdnews24.com report.

Meteorologists classify a temperature range between 36 and 38 degrees Celsius as a mild heatwave, while 38-40 degrees Celsius is considered a moderate heatwave. If temperatures rise to 40-42 degrees Celsius, it is termed a severe heatwave. Readings above 42 degrees Celsius are classified as an extreme heatwave.

The department said that the weather across the country was likely to remain dry with skies temporarily growing partly cloudy for the next 24 hours from 9:00 am on Thursday. Day and night temperatures might rise slightly across the country.

Jashore and Rangamati recorded the highest temperature, 36.4 degrees Celsius, over the past 24 hours as of 6:00 am on Thursday.

The lowest temperature was recorded at 19 degrees Celsius in Sitakunda.