Driest April in 43 years
Average rainfall in Bangladesh was one millimetre in April, which is the record lowest in the country since 1981.
One mm of rain refers to the "depth" of rain that would be received in 1 square metre in length and width. So one mm of rain translates to 1 litre of water in a single square metre.
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According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, average rainfall in April is 134 mm but this year it was only 1 percent.
"It is the driest month in the country's rainfall record since 1981," Abul Kalam Mollik, a meteorologist at the BMD, told The Daily Star.
He also said there was not a single milimetre of rain in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions while Sylhet division saw the highest 294-millimetre rainfall.
In Dhaka division, the average rainfall was 91 percent less this April while it was 84 percent less in Chattogram, 88 percent less in Mymensingh and 86 percent less in Barisal.
"Overall 81 percent less rainfall than the average took place in April this year," Mollik said.
However, there's some good news.
After a scorching April, May could bring some relief. There might be rain and the heatwave spells usually seen during this month would be much shorter, albeit slightly humid, said BMD officials and experts.
They said the country could start getting some rain as soon as May 2, which would be a godsend after the longest heatwave spell in recorded history of 76 years.
"There will be rain and thundershowers from May 2 to May 8. After that, temperature may rise and there might be two to three mild heatwaves and one to two severe heatwaves in May," said meteorologist Mollik.
Even though May is considered one of the hottest months, officials said this May might be less hot than usual due to the neutralisation of El Nino, a periodic weather event that occurs when the ocean surface in the eastern equatorial Pacific warms above average.
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