The rainy weather affecting the southwestern parts of the island should ease gradually after August 15, the Department of Meteorology says.
Meteorologist Srimal Herath said conditions in the southwest are likely to continue in a similar pattern over the next few days, with a reduction in rainfall expected only after that date.
The forecast would draw a line under a difficult fortnight. Sustained rain over the Western, Sabaragamuwa and central districts has pushed reservoirs to spill level, closed a university campus and produced repeated advisories for falls above 75 mm.
El Niño may run into next year’s monsoon
Herath warned that the El Niño conditions currently affecting Sri Lanka could persist until the Northeast Monsoon season next year.
The greater effect, he said, would fall on areas already experiencing dry weather rather than on the rain-soaked southwest — a split that has characterised this season, with the wet zone taking heavy falls while other districts stay dry.
Less wind, more heat felt
Prolonged dry conditions could also cause wind speeds to decrease in the coming days, Herath said. Combined with higher humidity, that is likely to raise the temperature felt by the human body, increasing the heat index.
Wind speeds have already been stepping down in the daily bulletins, from 40-50 kmph on Sunday to 30-40 kmph on Monday.
The heat index measures apparent temperature rather than air temperature; the department issues separate warm-weather advisories when it climbs into the caution range, as it did for the Eastern and North Central provinces earlier this month.
The department said it will continue to monitor conditions across the island.
Sources: Ada Derana.
