The Bengali month of Magh has begun, but although Poush has ended, the country has not yet seen severe cold. Cold waves have come in three spells this season, but no severe cold wave has occurred so far. Minimum temperatures in most places are between 13 and 17 degrees Celsius.

Meteorologist Shahinul Islam told Jago News on Thursday (16 January) afternoon that temperatures may fall gradually after Saturday, and a mild cold wave may sweep the northern region from Sunday.

A review of last month's weather shows that although winter arrived in its true character earlier in the season, it was not seen by the end of Poush.

Apart from the north, the cold is much less severe elsewhere in the country. The lowest temperature on Thursday was 9.8 degrees Celsius at Tetulia; elsewhere temperatures stayed above 12 degrees Celsius.

The Met Office said temperatures may fall somewhat from Saturday, but are not likely to drop very much.

Shahinul Islam said it could not yet be said for certain whether a cold wave would spread from the north; that would be clearer by Friday or Saturday.

He said the way maximum temperatures are rising at present is somewhat unusual for winter, and that so far this winter has been milder than in the past few years.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.