Jashore had the previous highest temperature of the season at 42.6C
Published : 27 Apr 2024, 12:26 AM
Chuadanga has once again set a new record for the highest temperature this season with the mercury rising to as high as 42.7 degrees Celsius amid a heatwave that has been boiling Bangladesh for a record 27 days.
Dhaka’s highest temperature on Friday was 38.2 degrees Celsius with the heatwave sweeping over 55 out of 64 districts - meaning most of the country was experiencing above 36 degrees Celsius temperatures.
The mercury was hovering around the severe 40 degrees Celsius mark in many areas while it was around 42 degrees Celsius in the Rajshahi and Khulna regions.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department said a very severe heat wave was sweeping over the districts of Rajshahi, Chuadanga and Pabna while the level was severe in the districts of Tangail, Bogura, Bagerhat, Jashore and Kushtia.
The rest of Dhaka, Rajshahi and Khulna divisions and the divisions of Rangpur, Mymensingh and Barishal and the districts of Moulvibazar, Rangamati, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni and Bandarban were experiencing a mild to moderate heatwave.
In the forecast for the 24 hours to 6pm on Saturday, the department said rain is likely to occur at
only one or two places over Sylhet division. Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky
Temperatures may rise on Sunday before falling again on Monday, according to forecast.
LONGEST ON RECORD
Meteorologist Shahinul Islam said the ongoing heatwave has prevailed for 27 days so far, the longest since record-keeping began in 1948.
The previous record was 23 days in 2023. The heatwave last year lasted for the last 18 days of April and the first five days of May.
This year temperatures started to soar on Mar 31 and reached severe levels while affecting more regions after a slight fall in mid-April.
The second highest temperature was 43 degrees Celsius in Pabna in 2023 after the highest – 45.1 degrees Celsius – in 1972.
Meteorologist Bazlur Rashid said the discomfort has increased this year because of a rise in humidity.
The ongoing heatwave may continue into the first week of May, said Meteorological Department’s Director Azizur Rahman.
Samarendra Karmakar, a former director of the department, said water vapour should have condensed and brought rains in this period, but this year the water vapour is going upstream to China beyond India.
“This is why it is so hot this year,” he said.