The wintry chill is yet to be felt across most part of the country. The winter is supposed to be halfway through by this time. But the weather is behaving capriciously now. People in the metropolis are not wearing warm clothes. Even many are still using fans at night.
Weather analysts say such unusual weather condition is due to the impact of the global warming and fallout of the climate change. However, parts of the country, especially the northern region, are colder than Dhaka.
A cyclone formed in the Bay of Bengal recently later moved towards the Arabian Sea. The cyclone drove the Siberian wind, which causes some wintry condition in the region, to the higher surface in the atmosphere. At that time, the minimum temperature in Dhaka was 18.5 degree Celsius.Â
Afterwards, there was no downward trend in the temperature level in the city and its adjoining areas. This year, the country's average December temperature was around three degree Celsius higher than the previous years.
According to the Met Office, this season's winter temperature is unusually high not only in Dhaka but also in the entire region. Dense fog in rivers has been disrupting ferry and cargo services across the country at night, but the temperature is still higher than usual.Â
The northern districts of the country have experienced thick fog and some chill, but the weather elsewhere in the country is hardly one that would prompt anyone to pull out quilts and blankets from the closet. The lowest temperature recorded anywhere in Bangladesh in the first five days of 2017 was 10 degree Celsius. In most places of Rajshahi or Rangpur, it was above 13 degree Celsius.
The Met Office predicted a cold wave in late December -- with temperatures going down between 6.0 to 10 degree Celsius in northern, north-eastern and central districts. But that prediction was not correct.
Weather experts say the intensity of this year's winter was neutralised by a number of local factors. They listed some reasons for the lack of chill with temperatures remaining 6.0 degree Celsius higher than the level around this time last year. Weaker Siberian high winds and the northwest wave coupled with Cyclone Nada in the Southeast Bay of Bengal and adjacent areas caused the warmer condition. The winter season in Bangladesh usually stretches between December and February.Â
Of all the countries in the world, Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable to effects of climate change. The regular and severe natural hazards that already batter the country - tropical cyclones, river erosion, flood, landslides and drought - are all set to increase in intensity and frequency as a result of climate change.Â
Rising sea levels will increasingly inundate Bangladesh's coast, and dramatic coastal and river erosion will destroy land and homes. These and the many other adverse effects of climate change will have profound bearing on the economy and development of the country.
One of the most dramatic impacts will be the forced movement of people throughout Bangladesh as a result of losing their homes, lands, property and livelihoods to the effects of climate change. While it is impossible to accurately predict how many people will be displaced by climate change, the best current estimates state that rising sea levels alone will displace 18 million Bangladeshis within the next 40 years.Â
The vast majority of these people are feared to be displaced domestically - not across international borders - presenting the government with enormous challenges, particularly when it comes to finding shelter and work for them.
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Climate change delays wintry chill
Shahiduzzaman Khan | Published: January 05, 2017 19:39:59 | Updated: October 22, 2017 16:22:49
Climate change delays wintry chill
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