(BSS) - The weather continued to improve bringing relief to common people for the second consecutive day today following further rise in maximum temperatures despite a little fall in minimum temperatures in the northern region.

However, from midnight until appearance of the sun at 9 am today, it was
still bitterly cold, especially in the riverine char areas of Rangpur,
Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts in the sub-
Himalayan Brahmaputra basin.

Besides, the people of Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts
experienced shivering cold due to lower temperatures amid blowing cooler
winds till noon today.

Later, the smile of the bright sun in a clear sky free from fog and clouds
made the weather even sweeter and more enjoyable today.

Today, as the sweet sunshine in the region until sunset dispelled the cold
and fog, normalcy had returned to public life.

Earlier, the weather deteriorated causing a chilling cold following reduction
of the gap between maximum and minimum temperatures to the minimum in recent
days when minimum temperatures mostly ranged between 9 and 12 degrees
Celsius.

However, the weather situation started becoming easier from Wednesday when
the sun came out penetrating the thick blankets of fog from the morning in
the sub- Himalayan northern region.

Local residents said vehicular movements on roads and highways and activities
in business centers, markets, hats and bazaars, bus stands and terminals and
rail stations gained momentum and remained normal today for the second
consecutive day.

Officer-in-Charge of Rangpur Meteorological office meteorologist Md
Mostafizar Rahman told BSS that the minimum temperatures marked little falls
and ranged between 9 and 12 degrees Celsius in the region today.

"The maximum temperatures marked further rises by one to two degrees Celsius
and ranged between 22.3 and 24.1 degrees Celsius at 3 pm today, increasing
the gap between the two temperatures by 12 degrees Celsius today," he said.

So, the intensity of the cold has significantly decreased. Daytime
temperatures will continue to increase and night temperatures may fluctuate
slightly in the coming days, added Mostafizar Rahman.

The minimum temperatures recorded at 9 am today were 12 degrees Celsius at
Rangpur city, 9.7 degrees at Dinajpur, 10.4 degrees at Saidpur, 9 degrees at
Tentulia, 10.5 degrees at Dimla, 10.5 degrees at Rajarhat, 9.3 degrees at
Thakurgaon, 10.9 degrees at Lalmonirhat and 11 degrees Celsius at Gaibandha
points.

The maximum temperatures recorded at 3 pm today were 24.1 degrees Celsius at
Rangpur city, 22.3 degrees at Dinajpur, 23.6 degrees at Saidpur, 23.8 degrees
at Tentulia, 23.7 degrees at Dimla, 23.2 degrees at Rajarhat, 23.2 degrees at
Thakurgaon, 22.8 degrees at Lalmonirhat and 23.1 degrees Celsius at Gaibandha
points.

Following improvement of the weather situation, common people and farm- and
day- laborers conducted normal activities everywhere, including remote char
areas today.

The district administrations, NGOs, voluntary, sociocultural and political
organizations, trade bodies, different banks and affluent people are
continuing distribution of warm clothes among cold-hit people in all eight
districts of Rangpur division.