Squalls and Torrential Downpours Prompt Warning for Ten Regions

Bangladesh Meteorological Department has issued a weather warning predicting temporary squalls reaching speeds of up to 60 km/h across ten regions, including the capital city, Dhaka, and the coastal commercial hub, Chittagong. The river ports situated within these vulnerable areas have been advised to hoist Distant Cautionary Signal No. 1 to mitigate potential maritime hazards.

According to the official forecast released by the meteorology bureau for inland river ports, south or south-easterly winds travelling at speeds between 45 km/h and 60 km/h are expected to sweep over Dhaka, Faridpur, Khulna, Barisal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Comilla, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, and Sylhet. These atmospheric disturbances are likely to be accompanied by widespread rain and severe squall-like thunder showers.

The meteorological office further highlighted that widespread precipitation is anticipated throughout the day across most parts of the country, including the capital. Regional atmospheric conditions suggest that specific southern and south-eastern areas—particularly within the Khulna, Barisal, and Chittagong divisions—face an elevated threat of heavy to exceptionally heavy rainfall. Such intense precipitation during monsoon periods frequently heightened the risk of flash flooding, urban waterlogging, and disruptions to domestic transportation networks.

For Dhaka and its surrounding metropolitan zones, the outlook suggests partly cloudy to overcast skies, alongside persistent intermittent rain or thunder showers. Surface winds in the capital are projected to blow from the south or south-east at speeds ranging between 10 km/h and 15 km/h, keeping daytime temperatures relatively steady.

Observations recorded early in the morning in Dhaka showed a temperature of 25.2°C at 06:00, alongside a saturated relative humidity reading of 98 per cent. The previous day recorded a maximum temperature of 31.2°C, while the overnight minimum dropped slightly to 25.1°C. Over the past 24-hour cycle, Dhaka received approximately 8 mm of rainfall.

The nationwide general forecast projects light to moderate rain accompanied by temporary gusty winds across most places in the Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal, and Chittagong divisions, as well as many locations across the Rajshahi, Rangpur, Mymensingh, and Sylhet divisions. While overall daytime temperatures across Bangladesh may experience a slight drop, nocturnal temperatures are expected to remain largely unchanged.