Sri Lanka’s highest recorded temperature has stood for 43 years. Forecasters now say a strengthening El Niño could put it within reach.
The national record is 40.1°C, measured at Vavuniya on April 10, 1983. NewsFirst reported that 39.9°C has recently been recorded at Pottuvil — 0.2°C short of that mark.
That figure sits awkwardly against the Department of Meteorology’s own daily maximums this month, which have peaked at 37.5°C at Polonnaruwa and Pothuvil on August 23. NewsFirst did not give a date for the 39.9°C reading or say whether it was an air temperature or a heat-index value, and no other newsroom has reported it.
What the meteorologists said
Senior Meteorologist Malith Fernando told a conference at the National Science Institute that Sri Lanka does not independently forecast or monitor El Niño, relying instead on international forecasts checked against the country’s own historical records.
Fernando cautioned against assuming Sri Lanka’s worst conditions will arrive in November simply because global El Niño conditions are expected to peak then, noting that rain can still fall during an El Niño and that local factors shape the island’s weather. He warned that global temperatures next year could reach record highs, raising the prospect of extreme heat in Sri Lanka.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has projected central Pacific temperatures could rise by as much as 3.6°C, with the strongest conditions around November.
Farmland, livestock and the grid
Water Supply Minister Dr. Susil Ranasinghe said about 10,000 acres of farmland have been affected, with total crop losses in some areas. The Agriculture Ministry and the Agricultural Insurance Board are assessing damage, and compensation is expected for eligible farmers.
In Anuradhapura, the Thammannagala and Manakkulam-Wagayakulam tanks in Thirappane have all but dried up, affecting some 27 acres of paddy between them. Dairy farmers say cows that yielded around ten litres a day are now producing three to four.
The Department of Agriculture plans to begin the Maha season before October 15 to conserve water. Chief Agricultural Scientist Chandana Wickramatunga said El Niño will hit the 2027 Yala season harder than the current one, and that rising temperatures may prove a greater problem than reduced rainfall.
Energy Minister Anura Karunatilaka said a 160 MW battery storage system should reach the grid between October and December, with tenders called for a further 250 MW.
