Rains to Intensify Across Several Provinces from January 8 – Met Department Warns
The Department of Meteorology has issued a Special Weather Bulletin, warning of deteriorating weather conditions across Sri Lanka as a low-level atmospheric disturbance in the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify further in the coming days.
According to the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre, the atmospheric disturbance located to the southeast of Sri Lanka is likely to strengthen, leading to enhanced showery conditions across the island. The Department stated that rainfall activity is expected to increase from Thursday, January 8, particularly affecting the Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Uva, and Central provinces.
Meanwhile, showers are forecast to occur at times in the Eastern, Central, Uva, North-Central, and Northern provinces. The Meteorology Department further warned that fairly heavy rainfall exceeding 75 millimetres is likely at some locations in the Uva Province and in the Nuwara Eliya, Matale, Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa, and Ampara districts, raising concerns over possible localized flooding and landslides in vulnerable areas.
In addition, showers or thundershowers are expected at several places in other parts of the island after 1.00 p.m. on January 6, the Department noted. These weather conditions may be accompanied by strong gusty winds and lightning.
The bulletin also cautioned that strong winds reaching speeds of up to 50 kilometres per hour may occur at times over the eastern slopes of the central hills, as well as in the Northern, North-Central, North-Western, and Eastern provinces. Similar windy conditions are also expected in the Hambantota, Gampaha, Colombo, and Monaragala districts.
The general public has been urged to remain vigilant and closely monitor future weather forecasts and official advisories issued by the Department of Meteorology. Authorities have also requested residents to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Disaster management officials emphasized the importance of preparedness, particularly for communities living in low-lying and landslide-prone areas, as weather conditions are expected to remain unsettled over the next several days.
