Diagnostic study of heavy rainfall events in monsoon season over northern part of Bangladesh using NWP technique

Abstract

Bangladesh is a play-ground of natural calamities due to its geographical position, i.e., conical shaped Bay of Bengal in the south, the Himalayas in the north and passing of tropic of cancer through it. Bangladesh experiences tropical cyclones, storm surges, monsoon depressions, floods, droughts, nor’westers, tornadoes, heavy rainfall etc. causing heavy loss of lives and damages to properties. Life-giving rain comes during southwest monsoon and accounts for over 75 % of the total annual rainfall. The high lands situated to the east and north of Bangladesh play their due role to this monsoonal rain and the rainfall patterns in Bangladesh are governed by southwest monsoon (Mannan et al. 2013a, b). But most of the heavy rainfall events occur in monsoon months and the northeastern, eastern and southeastern regions of the country are most susceptible for this meteorological phenomenon. The socio-economic sectors affected by heavy rainfall are: agriculture, urban/town planning and construction, energy, water resource management, fisheries, forestry, human health and social services, disaster management, transportation, tourism, sports, etc.