YAAS is now a cyclone
It is likely to intensify further and move in a north-northwestern direction
YAAS has turned into a cyclone now as it gained 62 plus wind speed within 54 km of the cyclone center, Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) declared in a special bulletin at 9 am on Monday.
BMD said, "The deep depression over the east-central bay and adjacent area has moved north-northwestwards and intensified into a cyclone storm over the same area."
The centre of the cyclone was 675 km south-southwest of Chittagong port, 605 km south-southwest of Cox,s Bazar, 650 km south from Mongla port and 605 km south of Payra sea port at 6 am today.
It is likely to intensify further and move in a north-northwestern direction.
Maximum sustained wind speed within 54 km of the cyclone centre in about 62 kilometers per hour has been rising to 88 kilometers per hour in gusts and squally. The sea will remain very rough near the cyclone centre.
Maritime ports have been advised to hoist distant cautionary signal number two. And all the fishing boats and trawlers have been advised to return to near the coast and proceed with caution.
Meanwhile, Satkhira district witnessed two hours of thunderstorms, gusts of wind, light to moderate rains and lightning struck in the coastal areas on Sunday night.
However, the Meteorological Department said that it was not effect of cyclone Yaas.
The weather has been normal since Monday morning.
Shahin Billah of Patakhali village in Padmapukur union of coastal Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira said there were hail, storm, lightning and thunderstorms at night.
One disaster after another has caused unknown panic in the minds of the people of the district, he said.
Zulfiqar Ali, in-charge of the Satkhira Meteorological Department, said the change in night weather during the summer is the effect of Kalbaishakhi.
There were light to moderate rainfall with gusty winds, thunder and lightning. The effects of cyclone Yaas have not yet begun in the coastal areas.
He said that the effect will be started from the night of the 25 May. The clouds will move closer to the coast. There is a possibility of rain. The cyclone is still 600 kilometers off the coast. Not far from the centre yet. The wind speed at the centre is 62-88 km per hour.
It will be known tomorrow when the cyclone will cross the coast and what the wind speed will be during the crossing, he further added.
