The potential cyclone will be named Remal, a moniker given by Oman
Published : 21 May 2024, 05:44 PM
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecast that a low-pressure system forming over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify in several phases and may turn into a cyclonic storm.
A low-pressure area is likely to form over southwest Bay and adjoining areas during the next 48 hours, the Met Office said in its forecast early on Tuesday.
Meteorologist Md Omar Faruq said, “The cyclone may occur and if it does, it will be named Remal. It is not possible to predict specifically where it would hit but its direction will become clear once the low-pressure system is formed."
The cyclones in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal are named by the World Meteorological Organisation's regional cyclone agency ESCAP.
The names of new cyclones are gradually fixed from a list of names given by the 13 countries in the region. The name 'Remal' was proposed by Oman which means sand in Arabic.
For the last time in 2023, Cyclone Michaung was formed in the Bay of Bengal but it crossed the coast through India’s Andhra Pradesh, leaving Bangladesh almost unaffected.
In its forecast for the next 24 hours, the BMD said rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind are likely to occur at many places over Rangpur, Rajshahi and Mymensingh divisions and at a few places over Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions with hails at isolated places.
A maximum of 121 mm rainfall has been recorded in Barishal’s Patuakhali in the last 24 hours until 6am on Tuesday.
Noakhali’s Maijdee Court, Bagerhat’s Mongla and several places across the country including Barishal also experienced showers.
Bagerhat’s Mongla recorded the highest temperature in the country at 36 degrees Celsius on Monday, while Dhaka saw the highest temperature at 33.4 degrees Celsius.
According to the Met Office, day and night temperatures may drop by 1-2 degrees Celsius over the Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions in the next 24 hours, while temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged elsewhere in the country. Night temperature may rise slightly over the country.