Bangladesh is a low-lying country located in South-Central Asia. Its capital, Dhaka, is located at 23.7 degrees North and 90.375 degrees East. Due to its location, this city is affected by multiple temperature controls. One temperature control that Dhaka is affected by is its altitude. With an average elevation of approximately 13 feet (very close to sea level) This city have relatively warm temperature year round that are similar to that of Hawaii. One consequence of this low elevation is that Dhaka is vulnerable to flooding. This is of great concern when it comes to the topic of climate change and its effect on sea level.
As stated earlier Dhaka has temperatures comparable to that of Hawaii with its hottest month being May having an average temperature of 84.2 degrees F. The coldest month is typically December with an average monthly temperature of 68 degrees F. Therefore, the annual range of temperature is 16.2 degrees F. These temperatures are affected by various factors including altitude. At greater altitudes temperatures tend to be cooler and conversely at low altitudes temperatures tends to be higher. This is due to higher air densities near sea level and Dhaka is practically at sea level. The effect of this can be seen in the fact that the temperature in Dhaka rarely goes below 60 degrees F. There are also temperature controls that do not affect this city. For example, locations on the leeward side of a mountain can receive little rain due to a rain shadow. On the other hand, locations on the windward side of a mountain can receive a large amount of rain. Since Dhaka does not sit at the base of a mountain this effect of geographic positioning does not apply to this city.
Climate change is an important issue for the whole world, but Dhaka is considered to be more vulnerable than other cities due to its elevation. Not only is this city at a low elevation, but much of the area around it is also low-lying. A temperature control such as altitude can not change due to climate change, however, if the sea level rises then the people would have to move to a higher altitude, most likely moving to a location with different weather patterns. Other temperature controls can change and this includes the ocean currents. The temperature differences at different locations on the plant are what causes the wind and weather patterns that we experience. If ocean currents stop or change then the winds that reach Dhaka may be drastically different in terms of temperature. It is possible that in the future warmer temperatures will occur in Dhaka due to changing wind patterns.
In conclusion, the effects of climate change may be dramatic in Dhaka. Not only is it likely that temperatures at this location will be altered, but there may not be land for people to live on. This would cause the residents of this city to be forced to live in a location that could be much different in terms of climate and weather. There are many factors that contribute to predicting the future temperatures of this location including ocean currents. The altered currents could lead to different weather patterns. Furthermore, though Dhaka is over 100 miles away from the ocean its temperatures are still likely to be affected by the currents that run near the Bay of Bengal and if these currents change, there could be a direct effect on temperature.
Sources:
http://www.dhaka.climatemps.com/temperatures.php
http://www.innovateus.net/climate/how-does-ocean-temperature-affect-air-temperature
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/29/world/asia/facing-rising-seas-bangladesh-confronts-the-consequences-of-climate-change.html?_r=0
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