The present heat and humidity is unusual at this time of the year, when the season changes from the rainy days to dry weather in the Bengali month of Ashwin.   

This is usually the season of silver white clouds in an azure sky, temperatures dropping a bit at night, and mornings getting cooler wet from overnight mists. But the merciless heat and humidity for the past few days have taken everyone by surprise.

The mercury rose to 37 degrees Celsius and plus in different parts of the country. The average temperature started hovering between 35C and 36C, as happened in Dhaka, Rajshahi and Jashore.

The country has been virtually without rain since some showers on September 28.

Meteorologists would not agree with the suggestion that it was because of climate change that temperatures have been pushed up globally this year. They do not consider the present weather as unusual.

It's a natural phenomenon that happens every year when the monsoon is on its way out. It's called the post-monsoon syndrome drying up the rains, senior meteorologist, Mohamad Abdul Mannan, told The Independent yesterday (Wedesday).

The south-west monsoon has started its departure from Bangladesh.

"In the next couple of days, we will be able to overcome this horrible weather, as the monsoon has started the process of winding up from Bangladesh," he said. The situation would improve in a couple of days, the senior meteorologist said.

Already such signs are there, he added.

Jashore recorded the highest temperature of 36.7C yesterday, down from Tuesday's 36.8C. In Rangpur division the highest was 32C, while the lowest 22.4C were recorded at Tetulia, on the north-western slope of the Himalayan foothills. It was the lowest minimum yesterday. There is likely to be some rain in Sylhet and Chattogram divisions today.