Weather
Monsoon withdrawal begins as Bangladesh braces for early winter
Bangladesh’s southwest monsoon is on the verge of withdrawal, marking the end of this year’s unusually long rainy season, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).
Officials said the monsoon is expected to retreat completely within the next few days. Meanwhile, early signs of winter have already appeared in the northern district of Panchagarh, where light to heavy fog has begun to blanket roads and farmlands during early mornings.
The BMD’s October forecast indicates that the country may experience above-normal rainfall this month. Between three and six low-pressure systems are likely to form over the Bay of Bengal, one or two of which could intensify into depressions or cyclones.
The department also said that the southwest monsoon will withdraw gradually during the first half of October. During this period, Bangladesh may experience three to six days of moderate to heavy thundershowers and up to eight days of light to moderate rainfall.
While daytime and nighttime temperatures are expected to decrease gradually, they may still remain slightly above normal levels, the forecast added.
In the upcoming winter months, moderate to dense fog is likely to form over river basins and low-lying areas, particularly during late night and early morning hours. The BMD also predicts one to two mild cold waves across northern, northwestern, and central regions in December.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecast rain and thunderstorms in parts of the country, including Dhaka, on Friday (October 10). Despite the rainfall, the weather is expected to remain humid and slightly uncomfortable.
According to the 7 a.m. forecast, the sky over Dhaka and nearby areas may remain partly cloudy to temporarily cloudy, with winds blowing from the south and southeast at speeds of 10–15 km per hour.
On Thursday, Dhaka and several other regions experienced rain, with 50 millimeters recorded in the capital over 24 hours. The maximum temperature in Dhaka was 29.5°C on Thursday, which dropped to 26°C on Friday morning. However, temperatures are likely to rise slightly during the day.
The Met Office added that the monsoon trough extends from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal across southern Bangladesh to Assam. The monsoon is currently less active over Bangladesh and weak to moderate over the North Bay of Bengal.
Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds may occur in some places of Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions, and at a few places in Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions. Moderate to heavy rainfall is also likely in isolated areas across the country.
Air pollution continues to rise across global cities due to climate change and rapid urbanization, and Dhaka is no exception. On Sunday morning (October 5), the capital’s air quality was recorded at a moderate level. According to Swiss-based air quality monitoring organization IQAir, Dhaka’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 74 around 8:30 AM, placing it 23rd among the world’s most polluted cities.
At the same time, India’s capital New Delhi topped the list with an AQI score of 171, followed by Hanoi, Vietnam (153), Jakarta, Indonesia (151), Tashkent, Uzbekistan (149), and Manila, Philippines (131).
The AQI scale defines 0–50 as “good,” 51–100 as “moderate,” 101–150 as “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” 151–200 as “unhealthy,” 201–300 as “very unhealthy,” and anything above 301 as “hazardous.”
According to a 2019 report by the Department of Environment and the World Bank, the main sources of Dhaka’s air pollution are brick kilns, vehicle emissions, and construction dust.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes about seven million deaths globally every year, mostly from strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory illnesses.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has warned of storms with wind speeds up to 60 kmph in eight districts on Saturday. The forecast, valid from 5 am to 1 pm, indicated the likelihood of rain or thunderstorms accompanied by squally winds.
According to the advisory, the affected districts are Khulna, Barishal, Patuakhali, Cumilla, Noakhali, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, and Sylhet. Winds are expected to blow from the south or southeast direction at speeds between 45 and 60 kmph.
River ports in these regions have been advised to hoist cautionary signal No. 1.
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