Dhaka sweats on its hottest day of the year

Dhaka dwellers yesterday experienced the hottest day so far this year, after facing torrential rainfall during most of the summer.

The maximum temperature yesterday was 37.6 degrees Celsius in Dhaka, rising three degrees within 24 hours. The highest temperature in Dhaka on Wednesday was 34.7 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees on Tuesday.

“Yesterday, the temperature rose three degrees Celsius within 24 hours as there was no rain the whole day. We expect it to go back down in couple of days,” said Bazlur Rashid, duty forecasting officer, Dhaka Met office.

Weathermen said though the temperature was 37.6 degrees Celsius, Dhaka dwellers felt the heat even more as it was a sunny humid day with no cloud cover.

Many social media users discussed the sudden rise in temperature in the city. Many termed it “unbearable”.

On Wednesday, the highest temperature in the country was 36.5 degrees Celsius in Sylhet. Yesterday, the highest was in Rajarhat of Kurigram, 39.0 degrees Celsius, and the lowest in Rangamati, 25.3 degrees Celsius.

The highest temperature recorded in Dhaka by the Met office in the last 50 years was 40.2 degrees Celsius on April 22, 2014.

The weather office, however, forecast light to moderate rain or thundershowers today in many places across the country.

“Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind and lightning flashes is likely to occur at many places over Khulna, Barisal and Chittagong divisions,” said a Met office bulletin issued yesterday morning.

Moderately heavy to heavy rainfall may take place in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions in the next 24 hours, the bulletin said.