Low pressure over Bay of Bengal likely mid-next week

The past few days have seen alternating periods of sunshine and rain in Dhaka and across the country. According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), rainfall in Dhaka is expected to decrease over the next couple of days and there is a possibility of a low-pressure system forming in the Bay of Bengal by Monday.

Meteorologist AKM Nazmul Hoque told bdnews24.com on Thursday morning, “The rainfall trend has eased. However, some rain may still occur in Dhaka and the southern parts of Bangladesh, including Khulna, Barishal, and Chattogram. Rainfall is likely to decline from tomorrow.”

He added, “The monsoon typically begins in June. Due to seasonal factors, days completely free of rain are unlikely during this time. Still, compared to the recent widespread rainfall across Dhaka and other regions, the weather is expected to slightly improve.”

According to the BMD’s regular weather bulletin, the trough of a low lies over West Bengal to North Bay across the southwestern part of Bangladesh.

The Met Office says the southwest monsoon has advanced up to Myanmar’s Akyab coast and conditions are favourable for further advancement. A low-pressure area is likely to form over the south Bay by May 26.

Nazmul noted that this system could intensify around May 29 or 30, potentially developing into a depression.

The 24 hours from 9am on Thursday is likely to see light to moderate rain or thundershowers with temporary gusty wind at many places in the Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions, at a few places over the Dhaka and Rajshahi divisions and one or two places over Khulna, Barishal and Chattogram divisions.

Moderately heavy to heavy rainfall is likely at places over Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions.

Day and night temperatures may rise slightly across the country during the period, the BMD said.

Meanwhile, a mild heatwave is sweeping over the Madaripur, Pabna, Khulna, Jashore, Chuadanga, Kushtia and Satkhira districts and it is likely to persist, the Met Office added.

In the last 24 hours, the highest rainfall was recorded in Sylhet at 110mm with 84mm in Rajshahi, 60mm in Panchagarh and 33mm in Dhaka, alongside varying amounts reported across other regions.

The highest temperature during this period was in Jashore, at 37.4°C, continuing its trend of such records over recent days.

The lowest temperature was in Sylhet’s Srimangal at 21.8°C.