Season’s first nor'wester sweeps Dhaka with gusty winds

After days of dry heat, Dhaka finally felt the stirrings of spring’s wild side as the season’s first Kalbaishaki storm swept into the city on Friday evening, bringing with it dramatic skies, whooshing winds, and long-awaited rain.  

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) had earlier forecast isolated rain or thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds in parts of Khulna and Sylhet divisions over a 24-hour period starting from 9 AM Friday.  

Right on cue, around 7 PM, scattered areas of the capital began receiving heavy rain, while others looked on as the skies darkened and winds picked up—heralding the arrival of the classic pre-monsoon nor’wester, known locally as Kalbaishaki.  

While Dhaka cooled down, a mild heatwave continued to grip parts of the country including Rajshahi, Pabna, Sirajganj, Khulna, Bagerhat, Patuakhali, and Rangamati, and is expected to persist in the coming days.  

Interestingly, just weeks ago, BMD had ruled out the likelihood of a nor’wester, citing the absence of low pressure in the Bay. "The current cloudy conditions are due to a westerly low, not indicative of Kalbaishaki activity," meteorologist Bazlur Rashid had said on 22 March.  

Today’s forecast still suggests that most parts of the country will remain dry, with partly cloudy skies and slight increases in daytime temperatures, while nighttime temperatures are expected to remain stable.  

The highest temperature recorded on Saturday was 36.8°C in Mongla, Khulna.  

For many in Dhaka, the sudden shift from heat to thunderstorm brought a refreshing change—a rare moment to pause, enjoy the scent of rain-soaked earth, and welcome the drama of Kalbaishaki season.