Deep Depression to Bring Heavy Rain and Strong Winds to Parts of Sri Lanka on January 10
Weather conditions across Sri Lanka are expected to remain unsettled on 10 January 2026 as a deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal continues to influence the island. According to the Department of Meteorology, the system was located about 110 kilometres northeast of Batticaloa at 7.00 p.m. on 9 January 2026 and is very likely to move northwestwards. It is expected to cross the Sri Lanka coast between Trincomalee and Jaffna during the afternoon of January 10, bringing enhanced rainfall and strong winds to several regions.
Cloudy skies are expected to prevail over the Northern half of the island, while unsettled weather will affect many other areas. Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Northern Province and in the Anuradhapura and Trincomalee districts, with heavy rainfall exceeding 100 millimetres likely at some locations in the Northern Province. These conditions may lead to short periods of intense rainfall within a short time span.
Several spells of showers are also expected in the North-Western, Central, Eastern, and Uva Provinces, as well as in the Polonnaruwa District. In other parts of the island, isolated showers or thundershowers may develop during the evening or night hours, particularly under cloudy conditions.
Wind conditions are expected to strengthen significantly as the system approaches. Very strong winds of about 50–60 kilometres per hour, with gusts reaching up to 70 kilometres per hour, can be expected at times in the Northern and North-Central Provinces and in the Trincomalee District. Meanwhile, fairly strong winds of 40–50 kilometres per hour may occur at times in the North-Western, Central, Uva, and Western Provinces.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers. The Department of Meteorology continues to closely monitor the behavior of this system, and the public is advised to remain attentive to future forecasts, warnings, and official weather bulletins issued in this regard.