The Department of Meteorology has issued an Amber advisory for heavy rainfall on May 13, warning that very heavy showers above 200mm are likely at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the Puttalam, Galle and Matara districts.
The alert follows a 24-hour rainfall surge driven by a low-pressure area parked off the island. Kesbewa in the Colombo District recorded the country’s highest 22-hour total at 204mm, the Met Department said. Veyangoda in Gampaha received 145.5mm, Wathupitiwala 105.5mm, Gilimale in Ratnapura 121mm, Bandaragama 102.5mm and Horana 101.5mm.
Heavy showers of about 100mm are expected in the Northern and North-Central provinces and in the Trincomalee and Kurunegala districts. Showers or thundershowers will continue at times across the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-Western and Northern provinces and in the Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Galle and Matara districts as the low-pressure system tracks slowly northward.
The Met Department has asked the public to take precautions against heavy rain, strong winds and lightning during thundershowers. The system has arrived ahead of the formal southwest monsoon onset, expected after May 25, and overlaps the JJAS near-normal forecast issued for the season.
Sources: Ada Derana — Advisory issued for heavy rains above 200 mm in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces; Ada Derana — Kesbewa records 204mm of rainfall in 22 hours; Ada Derana — Showers or thundershowers expected as LPA approaches.
