With a cold wave maintaining its bone-chilling grip over Dhaka and three other divisions, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department has recorded the coldest morning of the season as winter shows few signs of letting up.

In the 24 hours to 9 am on Tuesday, the mercury plunged to 6.6 degrees Celsius in Chuadanga and Sirajganj, the season's lowest temperature.

In Dhaka, the temperature fell to 11 degrees Celsius, the lowest for the city this winter. The highest temperature recorded in the country was 27.5 degrees Celsius at Teknaf.

Meteorologist Bazlur Rashid noted that a mild to moderate cold wave is currently sweeping over Dhaka, Rangpur, Rajshahi, and Khulna divisions, along with Moulvibazar, Barishal, Bhola, and Cumilla districts.

"As the day progresses, the temperature is expected to rise slightly, tempering the cold wave in some areas. Over the next 24 hours, daytime temperatures may decrease slightly, but nighttime temperatures could increase by 1-2 degrees Celsius," he said.

The Met Office considers temperatures below 6 degrees Celsius in large parts of the country to be a severe cold wave. Temperatures between 6-8 degrees Celsius are classified as a moderate cold wave, while temperatures between 8-10 degrees Celsius are considered a mild cold wave.

Dhaka's lowest recorded temperature was 9.5 degrees Celsius on Jan 8, 2018. On the same day, Panchagarh's Tentulia experienced the country's all-time lowest temperature at 2.6 degrees Celsius.

Other notable low temperatures include 4.5 degrees Celsius in Jashore on Jan 12, 2011, 3.2 degrees Celsius in Dinajpur on Jan 9, 2013, and a pre-independence record of 2.8 degrees Celsius in Sreemangal in 1968.

The weather forecast for Tuesday indicates the possibility of light drizzles in the Khulna division. The rest of the country is expected to have partly cloudy skies and dry weather.

Moderate to dense fog is predicted to cover the country from midnight to morning, with fog persisting until noon in some areas. The dense fog may disrupt air traffic, inland waterways, and road connectivity.

Looking ahead, the Met Office forecasts drizzles in parts of Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal, and Chattogram divisions on Wednesday and Thursday, with night temperatures likely dropping again post-rain.

This season, temperatures in December have been slightly higher than usual, but the intensity of winter has amplified since mid-January.

Fog-related disruptions to road, sea, and air traffic are occurring almost daily. The cold wave is causing various illnesses, particularly among children and the elderly, and posing challenges for financially strained people.

As temperatures have dipped below 10 degrees Celcius, primary and secondary schools in various districts have closed in line with a government order. Additionally, government primary schools have been directed to start classes at 10 am, instead of 9 am, until Jan 31 amid the cold snap.