Overcast skies, drizzle plunge temperatures in Bangladesh’s North, West

Largely overcast conditions and continuous light drizzle have ushered in a wave of cold in the north and western regions.

The cold north winds have also sent the mercury plunging in Dhaka.

In the North, farmers could not venture into the fields and general life was slowed down by the sudden fall in temperature.

On Tuesday, a cloudy sky prevailed almost throughout the day over north, northeast and western regions of Bangladesh.

Light drizzle was experienced in parts of Rajshahi, Rangpur, Jessore, Kushtia, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions.

The Met Office had predicted a 1 to 3 degrees fall in daytime temperature on Tuesday.

Conditions are expected to remain same on Wednesday.

The overcast conditions are expected to give way to the third cold spell of the season that is expected to sweep across the north and the western regions.

On Tuesday, 27 Poush on the Bengali calendar, the minimum temperature was recorded at Srimangal at 9.8 degrees Celsius, while that of Dhaka was 14 degrees Celsius. 

At 29.9 degrees Celsius, Teknaf was the warmest place.

Meteorologist Arif Hossain told bdnews24.com that the temperature registered a fall owing to partially cloudy mid-Poush sky in various parts of the country.

Drizzle in some parts has intensified the chill, he explained.

He said the conditions would prevail through Wednesday.

Arif confirmed that the northern wind had brought a spell of cold on the capital and other northern parts of the country.

During the first half of December and Jan 7-8, the first two cold spells of the season blew over the northern region, he said.

He added the middle of January, which coincides with the Bengali month of Magh, is generally a time for bone-chilling cold.

The period between December and February is taken as winter in Bangladesh.

The average temperature recorded until January by the weather office is higher than last year's.

The December temperature this year has been higher than normal owing to cyclonic winds and climate change impacts.

However, the weather office predicts that the bone-chilling Magh cold may well pay a visit.

Met Office Director Shamsuzzaman Ahmed said the north, northeast, northwest and the central regions of the country may experience an intense (4-5 degrees Celsius), moderate (6-8 degrees Celsius) or mild (8-10 degrees Celsius) cold spell in January.

Rain in Rajshahi

Normal life was thrown out of gear in Rajshahi as a light drizzle continued from dawn to midday. The sky remained largely gloomy, making it a bitterly cold day.

A total of 2 mm rain was recorded in Rajshahi between morning and 12 noon.

Rajshahi Met Office Inspector Abdus Salam said the minimum temperature in the northern divisional city on Tuesday was 13.4 degrees Celsius. Although the temperature was high enough, people felt much colder owing to the rain and the cloudy sky.

Intense cold in Natore

A continuous drizzle and a cloudy sky sent shivers of cold in Natore.

The biting cold forced most people to remain indoors.

The busiest Kanaikhali, Alaipur and Station Bazar areas had shops open but few customers to tend to.

Most shopkeepers downed shutters and headed home by afternoon.

Kanaikhali Mosque Market mobile trader Johurul Islam said although hundreds of customers ordinarily throng his shop, not even five people visited his shop on Tuesday owing to the cold.

Paddy farmers could not tend to their fields either.

Singra's Korban Ali told bdnews24.com, "I could not bear the cold and so could not go to the field. If this weather continues, rice farming will be hit badly. Seeds will also be spoiled," he said.