Signal No 3 hoisted at four seaports amid rough weather warning

Fishing boats and trawlers have been advised to approach the coast cautiously

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has hoisted local warning signal No. 3 at four seaports as deep convection over the Bay of Bengal threatens to bring gusty winds to coastal regions.

In a special bulletin issued on Thursday, the Met Office said active cloud formations over the Bay and surrounding areas could trigger squally conditions across the northern Bay, coastal districts, and maritime ports.

The ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla, and Payra have been instructed to keep local warning signal No. 3 hoisted.

Fishing boats and trawlers in the Bay have been advised to proceed with caution and remain near the coast until further notice.

In its regular weather bulletin on Thursday, the Met Office reported that the southwest monsoon has advanced up to Myanmar’s Akyab coast and is likely to move further.

A low-pressure system is expected to develop in the southern Bay on May 26, which could intensify around May 29 or 30.

“It may take the form of a depression,” said meteorologist AKM Nazmul Haque.

May is historically a cyclone-prone month for the region. Cyclone Remal struck the Bangladesh coast on May 26, 2024, leaving a trail of destruction.

The Met Office is closely monitoring the system amid concerns that the developing depression could evolve into a cyclone. If it does, it will be named Shakti—a name contributed by Sri Lanka.