Met Office warns of severe heatwaves, possible cyclone in April

A heatwave is currently under way, the Met Office says

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has warned of two to four heatwaves in April, with chances of two of them bringing severe heat.

The Met Office also said there is the possibility of one of the two lows likely to form over the Bay of Bengal turning into a cyclone.

The monthly outlook for April was released on Thursday.

Meteorologist Shahnaz Sultana told bdnews24.com that while a heatwave is currently underway, the month will also see significant storm activity.

The forecast predicts five to seven days of light to moderate thunderstorms with hail, while one to three days may see intense nor'wester storms.

Despite the heatwaves, the department expects average day and night temperatures to remain within normal ranges for this time of year.

Water levels in the country’s major rivers are also projected to maintain normal flows.

A heatwave is classified as mild to moderate when temperatures range between 36°C and 39.9°C, while it is considered severe when the mercury hits between 40°C and 41.9°C.

On Thursday, the highest temperature in the country was recorded in Rajshahi at 36.8°C, while Tetulia saw the lowest at 19.7°C.

Tangail recorded the highest rainfall in the 24 hours until 9am on Thursday, with 43mm of precipitation.