Rain likely for a week from Wednesday

A shift towards wetter conditions is expected from Wednesday even as the heatwave continues to grip much of the country, according to Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).

“One or two spells of rain are expected each day until 19th of June. Sunshine will appear from time to time,” meteorologist Abul Kalam Mallik told bdnews24.com on Monday.

In its regular weather bulletin, the Met Office said light to moderate rain or thundershowers with temporary gusty winds may occur at several places in Chattogram Division and at a few locations in Dhaka, Barishal, and Sylhet divisions in the next 24 hours from 9am Monday.

Elsewhere, the sky will be partly cloudy at times, with mostly dry weather prevailing.

The highest rainfall in the 24-hour period to 6am Monday was 24mm in Chattogram’s Ambagan, with a few other areas recording scattered showers.

On Sunday, mild heatwaves swept through Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Khulna divisions, as well as Feni and Mymensingh.

The day’s highest temperature, 37°C, was logged in Feni, Jashore, Chuadanga, Khulna’s Koyra, and Rajarhat in Kurigram. Dhaka saw a high of 35.7°C.

Mallik said the intensity and spread of the heatwave are likely to ease from Wednesday.

"It may persist in isolated places for another couple of days. From the 11th of July, temperatures will fall to a tolerable level," he added.

The BMD classifies temperatures below 38°C but above 36°C as a mild heatwave, 38°C to below 40°C as moderate, 40°C to below 42°C as severe, and 42°C or above as an extreme heatwave.

The forecast also suggests a slight rise in both daytime and nighttime temperatures across the country over the next 24 hours.