After a three-day break, rainfall is on the rise again, with very heavy rain forecast. As a result, temperatures across the country will fall by 1 to 2 degrees.

The Meteorological Department said the monsoon had become more active, bringing more rain across the whole country. The mercury, which had been climbing towards a heatwave, is now coming down.

Meteorologist Khondoker Hafizur Rahman said an extension of the monsoon axis runs through Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, sub-Himalayan West Bengal and central Bangladesh to Assam, with one extension reaching the north Bay of Bengal. The monsoon is fairly active over Bangladesh and moderate over the north Bay of Bengal.

In these conditions, light to moderate rain or thundershowers with temporary gusty winds may occur at most places in Khulna, Barishal and Chattogram divisions and at many places in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions by the morning of Sunday, 8 August. Moderately heavy to very heavy falls may occur in isolated places. Daytime temperatures across the country may fall by 1-2 degrees Celsius and night temperatures may fall slightly. In Dhaka, winds will blow from the south or south-east at 8-15 km an hour.

River ports have been told to hoist warning signals because of the risk of squally winds, though there is no warning for sea ports and none for landslides.

The forecast said rain or thundershowers with temporary gusty or squally winds from the south or south-east may occur over the Rangpur, Rajshahi, Pabna, Bogura, Tangail, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Faridpur, Jashore, Kushtia, Khulna, Barishal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Cumilla, Chattogram, Cox's Bazar and Sylhet regions. River ports in these areas have been told to hoist signal number one.

Up to midday on Saturday, 7 August, the highest rainfall was in Teknaf, about 150mm. Dhaka had 14mm of rain in the previous 24 hours.

The weather may change slightly by Tuesday, 10 August.

Over the previous three days rainfall had eased and temperatures had risen steadily. The mercury had neared 36 degrees in Dhaka last Thursday and 37 degrees in Tetulia on Friday.

Source: Banglanews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.