Active monsoon conditions are driving widespread rainfall across Bangladesh, with the Bangladesh Meteorological Department saying the current spell may continue until at least 24 July. Gopalganj recorded the highest rainfall at 36 mm on Tuesday, while Dhaka received 9 mm between midnight and 6am on Wednesday.
The Met Office said the monsoon axis extends through Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and the southern part of Bangladesh to Assam. One of its extensions stretches to the northwestern Bay of Bengal. The monsoon is active over the southern part of the country, fairly active elsewhere in Bangladesh, and in a moderate state over the northern Bay of Bengal.
As a result, most places in Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal and Chattogram divisions, and many places in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions, may experience temporary gusty winds with light to moderate rain or thundershowers on Wednesday. Isolated places in Barishal and Chattogram divisions may receive moderately heavy to heavy rainfall.
Temperatures may fall slightly because of the rain. The country’s lowest temperature on Tuesday was 22 degrees Celsius in Sylhet district. In Dhaka, the temperature was 26.5 degrees Celsius at 6am on Wednesday.
According to the forecast, daytime temperatures across the country may fall slightly on Wednesday, while night-time temperatures may remain nearly unchanged.
Alongside the rain, storm conditions are possible in 17 regions, including Dhaka. The Met Office’s storm warning centre said on Wednesday morning that Rajshahi, Pabna, Bogura, Dhaka, Tangail, Mymensingh, Faridpur, Jashore, Kushtia, Khulna, Barishal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Cumilla, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and Sylhet may experience gusty or squally winds from the south or southeast at 45-60 km/h. Temporary rain or thundershowers may also occur in those areas.
River ports in the affected regions have been advised to display signal No. 1.